


Don't You Dare: A Synyster Gates Story

by ampersandasterisk



Category: Avenged Sevenfold
Genre: Drama, Drama & Romance, F/M, Fanfiction, Romance, Touring, a7x
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-12
Updated: 2020-03-27
Packaged: 2020-12-09 12:53:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 25
Words: 79,314
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20995124
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ampersandasterisk/pseuds/ampersandasterisk
Summary: What started as something simple turned into something uncontrollable... A very smutty story based on a very smutty dream.





	1. Chapter 1

The thumping sound of her backside hitting the door was harsh in the otherwise quiet room. All the moaning and grunting and panting hardly disguised the noise. Anyone who walked by would know exactly what was happening on the other side of that door.

"Oh, God," she sighed in blissful vain as he kissed her neck roughly.

"You like that?" He grunted as he thrusted his hips into hers, driving her into the door again.

"Yes!" She screamed as she clutched his tattooed shoulders in desperation.

He moved away from her neck and looked at her, watching as her eyes fluttered shut and her mouth dropped open. It drove him wild. He knew exactly what that look foreshadowed. He knew she was close and he kept his pace steady but pumped deeper and deeper, knowing it would send her over the edge.

"Brian," she breathed sweetly as she threw her head back against the door. 

"Yeah, baby?" He whispered back, although he knew why she was calling his name.

She tightened her thighs around his waist. He watched as she tensed, feeling the sweetest sensation between his legs. Her body rolled in waves as she moaned loudly. Her nails dug into his shoulders and clawed at the back of his neck. He never got tired of watching her come. It was the purest yet most sensual thing he ever saw. It was the only time he ever had the privilege to see her so raw and vulnerable and sometimes he craved the sight.

Before her orgasm even subsided, his own hit him like a bright explosion. He grunted as his hips jerked into hers. His knees weakened, struggling to stay upright and to keep her up as he pumped into her core, emptying himself inside of her. He felt her relax in his arms, resting her forehead onto his shoulder as he continued to pulsate within her. She kissed the crook of his neck softly as he panted, coming down from his sexual high. 

He slipped out of her with a pained expression, never wanting to leave his safe place: alone with her, naked inside of her.

Her weak legs straightened as he set her down on her feet. He kept her pressed against the door and brought his lips to hers, kissing her gently but with feeling. She returned the kiss with fervor, pushing her hips forward into his and running her fingers through the hair at the back of his head. She tried to slip her tongue in his mouth but he pulled away quickly with a chuckle.

"You're insatiable," he laughed, pressing his forehead to hers.

"That's what happens when you tease me all day," she retorted, pulling him in for another kiss.

"Payback," he muttered against her mouth, running his hands down her hips to her butt. "For that dress you wore the other night."

She pulled away from his lips and smirked. "Not my fault you can't handle this," she teased with a shimmy. 

He laughed and kissed her cheek then pulled away from her hold. The warmth from each other's bodies was sucked away quickly; cold air making her shiver. She grabbed a paper towel and wiped the fluid dripping between her thighs and watched as he got dressed in front of her. The muscles flexing in his arms. The swirls of colors all over his body from his multitude of tattoos. The sweat glistening on his skin. She wanted him again. 

When they first hooked up, they'd simply gotten caught up in the moment and couldn't turn back. So they swore to two things. One, that it would only happen once. And two, that they would never speak of it again. They stuck to their second promise of never speaking of it, but they certainly have broken their first promise numerous times.

Hell, they should've known better. The first time was so good. So, so good. How could either of them ever assume that they wouldn't crave more? How could they be so naïve?

In a heated X-rated flashback, she thought about their first night together...


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story originated after I had a really vivid and intense relationship/sex dream about Synyster Gates. I used to be a HUGE Avenged Sevenfold fan and hadn't really listened to them much at the time, so the dream was kind of random. But it was so vivid and felt so real, and for some reason, it gave me so much inspiration and I wanted to write a story about it. With that said, some things in this story were added and changed to make it flow like a story and be more lifelike, but if things don't add up, it's probably because A) this is based off of a dream, and B) I haven't kept up with this band in YEARS. But regardless, it's been fun to write, so I hope you enjoy! &*

Two Months Earlier

Aubrey stared blankly at the maze of cardboard boxes stacked throughout her hotel room. With a sigh, she ran her fingers through her straight dark brown hair. She was in way over her head. She didn't know where to begin and she sure as hell didn't know where to end.

"Okay," Brian began as he emerged from behind a stack of boxes, carrying another box. "You need to come up with a system for keeping track of sold and remaining inventory. Something that's accurate and easy for you to keep up with throughout the night."

Aubrey nodded, thinking. She felt guilty to be honest. She had been working for Brian's band, Avenged Sevenfold, for a total of two days and she was already ready to quit. She joined the tour 48 hours prior in order to help their usual merch guy, Matt Berry, sell t-shirts, but he had a family emergency and had to leave the tour immediately, along with his brother Jason, who was the band's drum and guitar technician. She couldn't fault them for it, but Matt's absence left her as the sole merchandise manager. After two days of experience. And in those two days, she hadn't paid very close attention **at all** to how he managed and kept track of everything. All of his papers and records were so confusing, so she decided to start from scratch, but she was stumped as to how to even begin.

Thankfully the band was staying in a hotel that night so she could spread out all the merchandise and organize it to her liking. Brian, the band's lead guitarist, gave up partying with his bandmates for the night and offered to help her. Before the band was big enough to have their very own merch person, he handled those records himself, so he figured he was best suited to help her out. Not to mention, he wanted to make sure the newbie did things correctly and efficiently.

"Do I just make a list and keep up with totals or do I need an excel spreadsheet or something?" Aubrey wondered sheepishly as she laid some t-shirts out in piles on one of the two full-sized beds.

Brian laughed. "Whichever is most efficient and easy for you to follow through with."

"Okay," she muttered as she scanned the few items laid out in front of her. "Maybe I'll try to keep my laptop open with an excel spreadsheet and keep up with the math throughout the night."

"Well what if twenty kids bum-rush our table for shirts and start shouting at you to hurry because you're trying to do math on your laptop instead of selling them merch?" He responded, playing devil's advocate so she would really think everything through. "Then what?"

"Then I'd tell those little shits to hold the fuck up," she retorted, opening another box.

He raised a brow at her. "Great, so we'll lose some paying fans because our new merch girl is a bitch?"

She narrowed her eyes at him, sending him a silent warning about calling her a bitch.

He held up his hands in defense.

"Can I just keep running totals in my head and write it down at the end of the night then?" She wondered.

"Are you crazy? We have five different shirt designs, a hoodie, and a jacket; each comes in five different sizes. We have four CDs, a hat, a beanie, two stickers, and a button set. You think you can keep up with all those numbers?"

"For fuck's sake," she groaned. "This is a two-person job. I did not go to college. I cannot do this shit on my own." 

Brian eased up and laughed. "Hey, you're gonna do fine. We just gotta figure out what works best for you and do it. I have an idea but it depends on how organized you like to be, cause it's a bit much, but I think it'll help."

She felt bad, like she had deceived his band into thinking she knew what the hell she was doing. She had agreed to the job of helping Matt; selling t-shirts to teenagers was her only responsibility when she signed up for the role. She was excited about a new and very different job - she could get the fuck away from Phoenix for a while, tour the country, and maybe meet some cool people in the process. But now she was responsible for keeping up with the band's merchandise and money; how the hell did that turn around so quickly in just 48 hours? 

"I am open to all ideas," she welcomed.

"What if you put each shirt design in its own box then make a size chart for each one and attach it to the lid? Then just keep a pencil in your hand and mark each size that you sell as you grab them from the box. Same with the CDs and smaller accessories. That way you will already have individual inventory totals and won't have to do a huge inventory check at the end of the night. Way less overwhelming and hopefully easy to keep up with throughout the night," he suggested.

She cocked her head to the side, thinking. "That sounds...perfect actually. Much better than anything I would've come up with."

"Yeah?" He wondered, moving some of the boxes around.

"Yeah," she agreed. "What if within each box, we make dividers somehow and separate the shirts by size? That way I won't have to dig for the sizes either."

"You're a genius," he agreed with a smile. "I knew Matt Berry brought you around for a reason."

She smiled back graciously, thankful that he wasn't worried that she would colossally fuck everything up. Because she wasn't totally confident that she wouldn't.

"Let's get started then," he said. "I'll work on making dividers for each box. You fold the shirts and organize them by design then by size."

"Bossy," she teased.

He winked at her. She smirked but felt an odd fluttering sensation in the pit of her stomach. Damn. She tried to ignore the feeling as they got to work, but she couldn't deny that he was attractive. Hell, all the guys in the band were attractive - in a weird biker gang sort of way. They were all rugged and manly and covered in tattoos and piercings and black clothing and leather jackets. They were hot. But she was working for them. Or alongside them or something. So any sort of attraction to them would be so irresponsible and, quite frankly, stupid on her part.

"So where are you from?" Brian asked. "I have a feeling you're a Southern girl."

"Kind of," Aubrey smiled. "I grew up on a farm in northern Texas. But I live in Phoenix now."

"A farm," he repeated. "That explains why you're able to rough it on tour so well. It takes most people a few days to adjust, but you seemed to jibe pretty well with it already."

She shrugged, folding a shirt into fourths. "I suppose. I'm more of a girly-girl than I seem honestly. But when in Rome..."

He chuckled. "So you're just roughing it on tour because everyone else is?"

"Basically," she confirmed. "I'm not going to make Merle pull the bus over and find me a bathroom in a five-star hotel when I can piss in the woods on the side of the interstate like everyone else."

Brian laughed. "I can respect that."

"So you're all from Huntington Beach, right?" Aubrey questioned, continuing the conversation from her end.

"Yep. California, born and raised," he answered proudly.

"I bet it was fun growing up on the beach," she commented.

"It was," he replied. "We had it good. Which is why all of this is so weird to me. To us."

"All of what? The fame?" She wondered.

He nodded. "Not that we're famous or anything, but the amount of kids coming to each show is growing exponentially each day, which is incredible and we're so thankful. But we're seriously just a bunch of pricks who love playing music together and having fun and partying and drinking. I don't know how we got to this point cause we sure as hell don't deserve it."

She glanced over at him. He was focused on making the cardboard box dividers, serious as a heart attack, opening up to her like that.

When he noticed her silence, he glanced at her and saw she was watching him with her dark brown eyes. "Sorry, didn't mean to get all personal like that." He laughed off his vulnerability. He didn't know why the hell he was spewing word vomit to a girl he didn't even know.

"No, it's okay," she quickly reassured. "I really value that open honesty from you. And for what it's worth, I know that I've only known y'all for like a day, but I can tell that y'all work your asses off. You clearly have worked for everything you have. And I'd say that makes you deserving of it all. Hard work pays off."

He smiled at her. She was cute. Really cute. And he was starting to realize that it was probably not a good idea to be alone with her all night. 

"You said y'all," he pointed out with a smirk to shift the conversation away from him and his candidness. "That's adorable."

"Yeah, so?" She retorted, feeling defensive from the call-out. "Everyone says y'all."

"Not with that Texas twang they don't," he teased.

"I do not have a twang," she defended. "I live in Phoenix!"

"Sorry to inform you, babe, but you _definitely_ have a twang," he continued. 

She pursed her lips together, glaring at him.

"_Y'all_," he mimicked with an overdramatic southern drawl.

She gasped with faux offense and tossed a t-shirt at him, which he caught with one hand. 

"Haven't you ever heard the saying, Don't Mess With Texas?" She threatened.

"Nope, but I have heard the saying, Everything is Bigger in Texas," he added raising his eyebrows suggestively.

She smirked sarcastically at him. "They're right about that one. Too bad you're from California," she said with a wink.

His dick twitched in his pants. Shit. 

"From the waist up, I am," he returned, feeling brave, egging her on.

"Oh yeah?" She raised an eyebrow. A suggestive question was lingering on her lips... Was she really about to blurt it out? Yep... She was. "What's happening below the waist then?"

Brian swallowed hard but tried his best to play it off coolly. "Wouldn't you like to know."

She stared into his darkened eyes. At that moment, she **would** \- she **would** like to know. Badly. He held her gaze, challenging her to keep going. But she took a deep breath and looked back at the t-shirts, knowing it would be such a bad idea to accept his challenge. Especially that type of a challenge; especially at the start of a tour.

"So um," Aubrey cleared her throat. "I can probably handle things from here if you want to go join everyone at the bar."

He knew it was for the best that she changed the subject like that, but it did slightly disappoint him that she practically told him to fuck off when he was trying to flirt with her.

"I'm fine," he replied, getting back to his own chore.

"You didn't want to party with everyone tonight?" She asked.

He shrugged his shoulders. "There will be plenty of other nights to party. It's our first big headlining tour and it just started," he explained. "Yeah I want to party but I also want to play well. I don't want to overdo it in the first week. I can guarantee the guys are going to feel like shit tomorrow."

She nodded, understanding.

Silence fell over them briefly. Though the comment hurt his ego a bit, Brian felt guilty about crossing that line with her. He should've been more professional. She didn't seem like the type of girl to whore herself out on tour or act like a groupie - he shouldn't have made comments like that and he didn't want her to think that he thought of her that way.

"Is this your first time doing merch on a tour?" He asked, although the answer was obvious.

"Is it that obvious?" Aubrey wondered with a laugh.

"A little," he chuckled. "What were you doing before this?"

"I oversaw domestic adoptions at an animal shelter," she answered simply.

"Please tell me you did not leave that job to come on tour with us," he jokingly pleaded.

"I didn't," she laughed, thankful they were able to keep conversing without awkwardness.

"Why'd you leave then?" He wondered.

"Are we playing 20 Questions?" She replied with attitude. "Cause if so, this game is totally one sided."

"Sorry," he apologized a little sheepishly. "Just figured if we're gonna be living in close quarters for the next few months, I should probably get to know you better."

She exhaled then eased up. "Actually, _I'm_ sorry. I was deflecting. Don't apologize for being nice to me. I'm just embarrassed about my answer to your question - I left that job because my dog died and I kind of lost my shit."

Brian raised his eyebrows at her silently to prompt her to explain a little further. 

"As pathetic as it sounds, my dog was my best friend, my entire world, for years, and I couldn't stand being around abandoned animals all day anymore. I wanted to take all of them home but I also _didn't_ want to because I couldn't suffer that loss again. So I quit. Then I wanted to get far away from my small, cramped, dog-less apartment and my shitty stuck-up friends for a while. A four-month tour seemed like a pretty good way to do that."

"Oh, damn, Aubrey," Brian huffed. "I'm sorry. About your dog and for making you talk about it."

She smiled. "Thank you. Now it's my turn to ask questions."

Brian laughed. "Go for it."

She spent the next couple hours asking about the band, their past tours, and the friendships between them all, learning a lot about him in the process.

Around 2AM, they heard lots of loud talking and giggling coming from the hallway of the hotel. The hotel walls were paper-thin to begin with, but it was exceptionally loud considering the hour.

"It's so late, who the hell is being that loud?" She asked as she turned her head toward the door.

"How much money do you want to bet that it's someone with us?" Brian joked. 

"Let's spy and find out," she smirked as she jumped up and crept to the door. Brian followed close behind. She fastened the chain lock on the door just as a precaution and gently and quietly opened the door and peeked through the crack. Brian pressed up against her back, peeking through the crack over her head.

They watched as Johnny, the band's bassist, stumbled down the hallway with a tall leggy blonde, who was giggling up a storm.

"Told you," Brian whispered in Aubrey's ear.

"It's technically not someone with us," she corrected quietly.

"It's someone who's with someone with us," he pressed.

"Fair enough."

"Johnny," the girl squealed. "If you sign my boobies, I'll get it tattooed on me. Isn't that hot?"

Aubrey tried to contain her laughter but it came out as a harsh snort and chortle. 

"Shh," Brian encouraged, chuckling as well. "He'd throw the biggest bitch fit if he knew we were watching them." 

"Sorry!" She peeped softly.

"Wouldn't that be so hot, Johnny?" The blonde asked again, not accepting Johnny's silence as an answer.

"Yeah, yeah. Look, my bandmate might already be asleep so you may have to be quiet, okay?" Johnny replied quickly as he pulled her toward his room – the room he was supposed to be sharing with Brian.

"Shit," Brian spat. "He's taking her to our room. That little asshole."

"We could wake him up and have a threesome," the blonde suggested with another giggle.

Aubrey raised her eyebrows and nudged Brian who was still pressed up against her back. "Hey, you may wanna hurry back to your room."

Brian snorted. "Bandmates are not allowed to be Eskimo Brothers anymore – we all learned our lesson the hard way with that one. I will also never put myself in a situation where I may end up touching dicks with Johnny."

She laughed. A little too loud. Again.

"Did you hear that?" The blonde asked as she turned her head toward Aubrey and Brian spying through the door. "I think someone's watching us."

"Oh shit, busted," Brian interjected playfully as he pulled her away from the door and quickly shut it. She turned around to move away from the door at the same time he leaned forward to glance through the peephole to see if Johnny had figured out who was watching them, therefore he was pressed up against her body again. But this time, she was facing him. And he was inadvertently pinning her to the door. And she immediately knew it was a dangerous place to be.

She was trapped between his firm body and the door and was overcome with heat when she smelled his cologne. Whatever it was, it smelled amazing and strong and manly but also mature. She could tell it was an expensive cologne. And it mixed with a hint of cigarette smoke.

It was too much for her. The night they had spent together, casual but teasing one another. His subtle flirtatious comments and winks. Their current close proximity. His cologne. She felt lightheaded in the most enjoyable way. She rested her hand on his chest in a pitiful attempt to keep distance between them before she passed out. Her touch snapped him back to reality.

"Okay, I think the coast is clear. I think they went inside," he said as he moved back from the peephole. It wasn't until that moment that he truly realized how they were positioned and how their bodies were touching. He wondered if he had done that subconsciously; how else would they have ended up in such a position? 

Their eyes met. He immediately noticed that her eyes had darkened and her breath had shallowed. It sent a heated feeling straight to his groin and he twitched in his pants. His jaw clenched; he was trying so hard to remember to think straight - with the correct head.

Aubrey, on the other hand, couldn't think straight at all.

"You know, if you don't want to go back to your room," she whispered huskily, "you can stay in here tonight."

"Yeah?" He exhaled.

She nodded. "If you want to."

"I want to," he breathed without hesitation.

They stared into each other's eyes for a moment, both reeling with anticipation and warnings, waiting for the other to make the first move.

With a sudden burst of desire, courage, and carelessness, she balled her hand and fisted his shirt then tugged it toward her, pulling him to her face and pressing her lips against his. He took her forwardness as a big fat green light and immediately brought a hand to her neck, holding her close to his face. He flattened the palm of his other hand on the door beside her head and straightened his arm, as if to maintain some type of restraint, but he pressed his pelvis against hers, proving that he truly had no control at that point.

His tongue swiped her bottom lip and she immediately opened her mouth, moaning into his as his tongue found hers.

She snaked her hands up his chest and around his neck, tangling her fingers in his hair. He moved his hands to her hips and slowly inched up until he was under her shirt and touching her bare skin. She tugged on the hair at the back of his head. He dug his fingertips into her skin. 

He pulled her shirt over her head, baring her chest. She wasn't wearing a bra and he hadn't even noticed before because she had the perkiest tits he had ever seen and they didn't even look fake. His hips involuntary thrusted forward at just the sight of her shirtless. She began working on the button and zipper of his pants as he reached behind his neck and pulled his shirt over his head with one quick movement. 

Before she could fully remove his pants, he picked her up and carried her over to the bed then tossed her onto it playfully. She propped herself up by her elbows and watched as he quickly tugged her pants down, leaving her in just her underwear.

As soon as their eyes met, the realization of what they were doing became very apparent. They weren't looking at each other's bodies. No, they were staring into each other's eyes, looking for a reason to continue, looking for a reason to stop. 

"It's too late to turn back now," Brian said gently, as if he could tangibly see the apprehension on her face.

"I know," she agreed softly. "But I don't want to be _that girl_ on a tour. This can **only** happen once."

"Only this once," he approved with a nod.

"And we never speak of it again," she continued.

"Deal."

"So we better make it worth our while."

"You got it," he agreed.

He quickly crawled back on top of her and kissed her again before either one of them could protest this irrational thing they were doing together. She moaned in his mouth as he pushed his clothed hips into hers. She could feel his erection straining against her thigh through his jeans.

She reached between them and began working on his button and zipper again until she finally had enough leeway to push his pants and underwear down far enough to free him. She quickly took him in her hand and stroked him firmly, immediately intimidated by his growing size. 

"Fuck," he groaned as he looked between their bodies and watched her stroke him slowly. He had slept with many girls but something about this taboo thing, sleeping with their merch girl, had him bursting with excitement and hesitation unlike ever before.

He moved out of her grasp, afraid of things ending before they began, and started kissing his way down her body. He flicked his tongue along her collarbone and down one breast, lightly trailing his tongue over her nipple then blowing on it softly. Her back arched in pleasure as the pink bud raised. He imitated his actions with her other breast then continued kissing down her stomach until he reached the edge of her lacy thong. 

With the intention of this only happening once, he wanted to tease her, to watch her squirm, then watch her come undone beneath him.

He slowly pulled her underwear down her lower half then kissed the sensitive skin around her lower lips. With two fingers, he spread her open and blew lightly on the glistening heat. She shivered and bucked her hips. She wanted more. Again he kissed around her lips, drawing dangerously close to her sensitive bud but never close enough to relieve any of the built up pleasure.

"Seriously, if you don't fuck me soon, I might die," she groaned.

He chuckled and kissed his way back up to her mouth then grabbed a condom from the wallet in his back pocket and kicked his pants fully off. 

She watched as he rolled the condom on and settled between her legs.

Holding her gaze, he pushed into her slowly, barely fitting into her tight core. She felt herself stretching to the limit to take him, which she would've expected to hurt, but it felt incredible. A small whimper escaped her lips. 

"Jesus, Aubrey," Brian groaned in disbelief at how mind-blowing it felt to enter her for the first time. Was it because this would forever be their dirty little secret or was it because he knew he shouldn't be banging their fucking merch girl who he has to encounter constantly for the next few months? Or did she really just feel _that_ fucking good?

When he pulled out and pushed back in a little rougher, she rolled her hips forward to meet his with force. He nearly saw stars, and he got his answer: She really did just feel _that_ fucking good. 

Almost immediately their thrusts were in-sync. Her hips bucking to meet his as he pounded into her. He had never had sex with a woman who did anything other than lay there when he was on top. It almost took his breath away. He pushed up on his palms to put some space between them so he could watch her body work. Sweat glistened her stomach and her breasts bounced along with the movement of their hips.

"Fuck, that's the hottest thing I've ever seen," he groaned as his balls drew up tight. He really didn't want to come yet but he also didn't want to let go of what he was feeling at the moment.

Knowing damn well that if this was going to be the only time they had sex, he wanted it to last and he wanted her to enjoy it too, so he quickly pulled out with a sigh of relief just as he hovered over the edge of his orgasm.

Aubrey groaned. "What's wrong?"

"Not a god damn thing, I'm just trying not to come prematurely like a fucking fifteen-year-old," he hissed, frustrated with himself. He was never like this. He knew why this was happening - usually these one-night stands were with faceless, nameless groupies, and he felt like he actually _knew_ Aubrey. Not well, but he knew some of her story, they teased each other, there was a connection beyond just sex - at least a friendly one. And it was proving to be too much for him to handle. Which was a very clear reminder of why he didn't do relationships and stuck to casual sex, especially on tour.

She smirked. "Is it wrong that the fact that you're already about to come feels like a pat on my back?"

He appreciated her light-heartedness about the situation.

"You would like that, you maniac," he teased as he thrusted back into her. 

She let out a loud moan.

"Mmm, I like _that_ too," she stated throatily. 

"Oh yeah?" He asked, pulling out and slamming back into her again.

"Mmhmm," she purred, her eyes nearly rolling in the back of her head. 

He continued those movements, pulling out and ramming back into her over and over again until her eyes fluttered shut and her mouth dropped into an O. She threw her head back and clutched the sheets, screaming out in ecstasy as her orgasm crashed into her so quickly that she felt dizzy. 

"Oh, God!" She cried as she rolled her waist and bucked her hips.

Unable to prolong his own climax while watching Aubrey come and feeling her pulsate around his dick, Brian grunted, jerking his hips. The bliss continued to roll through her body in waves as they came together. The expression on his face looked almost painful, like it felt so good that it hurt. And it just added to her pleasure.

He collapsed on top of her and her body went limp. Although he really wanted their time together to be much longer, coming together like that brought them to such a sensual euphoric high that he couldn't regret a single second of it. He knew she felt the same. There was no way she didn't feel the same.

They laid like that for a while, dizzy and reeling, trying to catch their breath and come back down to Earth. Once he finally felt human again, Brian tried to speak.

"That was..." He couldn't put it into words.

"...so worth our while," she finished with a sigh.

He nodded in agreement then peeled his sweaty body off of hers and stood up.

"Is it still cool if I crash in here?" He asked, not sure how awkward it would be for her.

"Well, yeah," she chuckled as she sat upright.

"Thanks," he smiled sweetly. "I'm gonna go clean up."

She nodded and watched as he walked into the bathroom and shut the door. 

Inside the bathroom, Brian disposed of the condom and splashed some cold water on his face, trying to shake the feeling that was sinking to the pit of his stomach. When he exited the bathroom, Aubrey was already asleep under the covers. He glanced at the other bed, it was still covered in their merch as they hadn't finished their task. He debated on whether it would be worth moving everything to sleep in the other bed or if he should just join Aubrey in hers. However, if he did sleep next to Aubrey, he could no longer promise that their one-night stand wouldn't turn into a next-morning-stand too. But would it seem douchey if he slept in the other bed after they-

"Stop thinking so loud," Aubrey mumbled with her eyes still closed, interrupting his thoughts. "You can sleep with me. I'll behave."

He smirked. He wasn't worried about _her_ not behaving. Well...now he was.

He pulled on his boxer briefs to at least create some form of a barrier between him and Aubrey and climbed into bed beside her. Typically, he could fall asleep in an instant after sex, but he was wired, staring at the ceiling in the dark, still feeding off of her intensity. It felt like a jolt of adrenaline, like he had just snorted a long line of coke and was speeding hard.

What the hell had he gotten himself into?


	3. Chapter 3

The next morning, Brian slithered out of bed, having hardly slept but a few hours, and quickly got dressed then silently snuck out the door without waking or disturbing Aubrey. He found the hotel lobby, and stalked over to the buffet, ready to stock up on free continental breakfast.

"Gates!"

His head whipped around and saw Johnny waving him over to the table where he and Zack, the band's rhythm guitarist, sat. Brian nodded to them then turned back to the breakfast, piling all of the contents on his plate, then joined his friends at their table.

"You look like shit," Zack provoked playfully. 

"Didn't sleep well last night," Brian explained.

"Yeah, you never came back to the room last night," Johnny pointed out. "What lady kept you up all night?"

"Aubrey, thanks to you," Brian spat at Johnny, thankful that he could already cover up his night with her without it seeming obvious. "We saw you take that loud ass bimbo back to our room and thankfully Aubrey's room had two full beds, so I just crashed in her room, but she took that opportunity to keep me up all damn night organizing the merch and helping her come up with a system to keep up with it since Matt Berry's shit was so confusing."

"Damn," Zack commented.

"Yeah," Brian replied then turned to Johnny, "So thanks for that."

"You're just mad that I got laid and you spent all night with a girl and didn't," Johnny jabbed.

He wanted so badly to throw the truth in his friend's smug face but he didn't. So he simply replied, "Probably."

"Anyway this chick last night was wild. She wanted to get my signature tattooed on her tits," Johnny quickly turned the subject in a different direction, and Brian was thankful. 

He managed to avoid Aubrey for the rest of the morning, but as they all boarded the bus to continue on to the next city for their next show, he finally saw her. Jimmy, the band's drummer, was helping her load the merch boxes into the storage compartment. A pang of guilt hit Brian. He should've helped her finish all the sorting and helped her bring everything to the bus. He was a prick. A cowardly prick. 

She probably thought that he got what he wanted so he ditched her to clean up the rest of his mess. That was only half true, because he didn't offer to help her with those intentions and he wanted her to know that. He did, however, ditch her the next morning; instead of facing the awkward consequences to his actions, he ran. Typical.

"Hey, sorry I left you to bring all this crap to the bus by yourself," Brian stated as he walked up to her after Jimmy had left to retrieve another box from her room.

"Jimmy helped me, so no worries," she replied with a smile. "Thanks, by the way, for helping me get it all figured out last night. I think keeping record like this will be really efficient for me."

Brian felt confused and conflicted. She seemed fine and also really casual about the whole thing. He wanted to be thankful for that, but he honestly felt weird about it.

"We're good?" He asked quietly.

"We're good," she reassured with a 'duh' look on her face. 

He continued to look at her, like he was trying to catch her expression falter.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "I feel like you're trying to make sure my fragile girl-heart is still beating but last night wasn't my first one-night rodeo; I know how these things work."

He smiled at her. He should've known she'd handle it the way she was supposed to. He may not know her well, but he can tell she's comfortable with who she is. He admired that.

"Move your ass, Haner," Jimmy bellowed as he reappeared, carrying a tall stack of boxes that seemed heavy.

Brian quickly jumped out of the way. "Is that the last of it?"

"Yeah," Jimmy answered with a grunt as he set the boxes on the ground. "Convenient timing, right when we're done."

Brian laughed but grabbed a box and maneuvered it strategically into the storage compartment. "Hey, I think I get a pass for this one. I used to sling merch singlehandedly while you guys got shitfaced in the green room."

"Hey, your ass was usually already drunk before we even got to the venue," Jimmy retorted. 

"There was no reason for you to pound beers in the green room at that point. It was only fair."

Aubrey laughed at their typical banter.

"Alright, suck my dick, let's get on the bus," Brian jabbed one last time, having run out of comebacks.

Jimmy smirked proudly at Aubrey, having won that round of teasing. She laughed and shook her head then shut the storage compartment and followed them onto the bus. She felt very on her own without Matt Berry there to lead the way and show her the ropes of touring. Even though all the guys made her comfortable so far, she couldn't help but wonder how the hell she ended up with this job.

Ø

The bus sped down the Interstate, bringing the band and their small crew to the next state which held their next city which held their next venue. Same story, but the chapters were always so different. Matt, the band's lead singer, and his girlfriend Valary, who is also the band's tour manager, were in the back of the bus in the "lounge" area, but the rest of the band was in the main "living" area, drinking, smoking, and shooting the shit with each other.

Aubrey sat on the couch, nursing a freshly opened beer, despite the fact that it was hardly noon. Next to her, Jimmy slouched into the couch, lighting a joint. Johnny sat on the arm of the couch, working on his third or fourth beer. Zack sat backwards in a chair at the small table adjacent to the other couch; he crossed his arms over the top of the back of the chair and rested his chin on his forearm. Across from her, on the opposite couch, Brian focused intently on his guitar as he changed the strings. She tuned out the conversation happening around her, especially since she wasn't even taking part in the discussion, and watched Brian closely but discreetly, amused by the way he moved.

She zoned out, eyeing the muscles in his arms that flexed as he twisted the tuning pegs accordingly... Ogling the tattoos that decorated his toned arms... Remembering how they looked as they held him up over her last night as he drove himself into her... Thinking about how they led to his rock hard abs which led to his even harder cock... 

Shit, he was hot and it was making her hot. She remembered their 'one and done' pact but at that moment, she wished she hadn't suggested it. What she wouldn't give to have him bend her over the table and nail her from behind.

"So Aubrey, what type of bullshit went down in your life that landed you on tour with our dickhead band?" Johnny asked, noticing their merch girl seemed somewhat lonesome and distant since Matt had officially left the tour. 

Aubrey glanced up, her face a tad flushed from the sudden interruption of her dirty thoughts.

Johnny's question had also garnered the attention of Brian, who briefly looked up to see her reaction.

She cleared her throat, realizing she needed to regain her composure, come back down to earth, and answer the question. "Oh, none, actually," she began to explain, fibbing so she didn't blubber on about her dog again. "My brother moved out to Orange County and met the Berrys a while back. He knew I was looking for a new job and Matt just so happened to be looking for a merch assistant so my brother got us in touch with each other. Matt said Avenged Sevenfold was getting more and more popular and therefore getting a bigger and bigger merch stock and he needed some help selling it and keeping up with it all. I was looking to do something new and different. So here I am."

"Damn, really?" Zack replied, suddenly interested in the new conversation as well. "I thought you were from the label."

"Nope," she shook her head. "I'm just a simple village peasant. Completely out of her element. On tour with a biker gang apparently."

Brian let out a hearty laugh and Jimmy, also tuning into the conversation, snorted. 

"Do you really feel like you're out of your element?" Zacky asked.

Aubrey nodded her head.

"You seem to fit in fine," Brian contributed nonchalantly with a shrug. 

"Wait a second," Jimmy mumbled, taking a hit from his blunt, then held up a finger. "Do you even listen to our band?"

"Will I be fired if I say no?" Aubrey asked with a sly smile.

"Yes," Johnny teased.

"Then yes, I listen to your band. I love your band," she fibbed with vigor and a grin.

Brian smirked.

"You little shit," Jimmy spat playfully as he sat up and tossed an empty beer can at her. "And we're not a biker gang!"

"You look like you're a biker gang," she retorted. "You even have biker gang names."

"Welp, you're stuck with this biker gang for the next three months so..." Jimmy paused then smiled maniacally. "Welcome to the gang."

"Do I get a biker gang name?" She wondered.

"Maybe." Jimmy played with faux-caution. "What's your full name?" 

"Aubrey Cate Ford," she answered.

Johnny winced.

"What?" She asked with a laugh.

"Your name sounds so pretentious. You definitely need a biker gang name," he told her.

She pursed her lips together at his insinuation but rolled her eyes playfully.

"Yeah, yeah!" Jimmy sat up excitedly, half-stoned already. "Let's give her an Avenged Sevenfold name!"

"What about...The Prophet Ford?" Johnny proposed, reaching for the joint.

"What, no," Jimmy waved him off but handed him the drug. "NEXT!"

"The Minister A.C. Ford," Zacky tossed into the mix.

"Ooh, it has potential," Jimmy said as he leaned back in thought, clasping his hands together behind his head.

"How about A.C. Black?" Brian suggested.

"YES!" Jimmy sat up straight and pointed to Brian. "That's it! Welcome to the biker gang, A.C. Black."

"Hm, I'm actually okay with that name," Aubrey quipped pleasantly surprised. "Okay, I'm in the gang. But I'm not killing anyone or robbing anyone."

"You just launder all the money," Zacky played.

"Exactly," she agreed with a laugh.

They all chuckled in response.

Jimmy began talking about something else, going off of a tangent about something as he seems to do often. When the attention was diverted away from her, she went back to watching Brian and immediately caught his gaze on her. His mouth twitched upward in a very subtle smile, but she caught it. She winked softly at him. His stare lingered momentarily before he focused on his guitar again.

Once he was done changing and clipping all the strings, he began strumming it softly to tune it, which he did by ear and without a device. Occasionally he glanced up at Aubrey, to see her either watching him closely or in conversation with one of his bandmates, smiling and laughing and playing along with their immature banter. 

"Damn, dude," Matt said to Brian as he emerged from the back lounge. "Gotta change your own shit now, huh?"

"Yeah," Brian grumbled. "Fuckin' Jason. Thanks a lot, Berrys."

Valary scoffed as she appeared from behind her boyfriend. "Their freakin' grandmother is on her deathbed; give me a break!"

"Well someone needs to tell Grandma to get her shit together 'cause I need my fuckin' roadie back!" Brian joked.

"For real," Jimmy agreed, pointing at his bandmate for emphasis.

Valary shook her head and rolled her eyes then grabbed a beer and sat next to Jimmy then leaned over to speak to Aubrey. "I hope you've got thick skin, girl. It can get ugly in here."

Aubrey laughed. Though she hadn't spent much time with Valary because she was always crazy busy handling the band's business, she really liked her and thought highly of her and how hard she worked for the guys.

"She'll be alright; she's one of us now," Jimmy said to Valary as he threw an arm around Aubrey's shoulder. "She's got a name and everything - AC Black."

"Damn," Valary replied. "_I_ don't even have a name!"

"Yeah you do," Johnny commented. "It's schmookie-poo; right, Matt?"

"Shut up," Matt chuckled as he dug through the fridge for something. 

It was typical of Johnny to tease Matt and Valary about their relationship and he took every opportunity to do so, even though he knew Matt or Val would dish it right back out to him.

"Or is it babycakes?" Johnny continued to tease.

Valary gave him an annoyed look. "Go ahead, get another one out."

"Or maybe buttercup?" Johnny asked with a daring smirk.

"You're short; shut up," Valary spat and turned away from him.

"Damn, got him," Zacky added as he got up from his chair and walked toward the bunks.

"I love these girls," Jimmy sang as he threw his arm around Val and pulled both of the girls into him for hugs. "They're so feisty!"

"You can't even spell feisty," Johnny teased.

"Of course I can't," Jimmy retorted obviously. "I don't speak Spanish."

Everyone let out a huge burst of laughter, even Zacky could be heard laughing from his bunk. They all knew Jimmy was joking and would say _anything_ to make everyone laugh, but it never made his jokes any less funny. 

Ø

That night, when the guys took the stage as Avenged Sevenfold, the crowd at the merch table dwindled down to nil and Aubrey was able to finally watch them perform. Though she didn't care for their music as it simply wasn't her cup of tea, she was mesmerized by them. They were so good at what they were doing, it was impossible to look away. They were the same people she had been joking around with on the bus all day, but up on the stage, they were personified. Their stage names became their true identities when they performed.

She was impressed by Matt's ability to sing as M. Shadows and the way his gravelly voice roared throughout the venue. And the way Johnny Christ enthusiastically strummed his bass and bobbed his head to the beat. And the poise with which Zacky Vengeance carried himself while he played guitar with passion and moved across the stage. And the effortless way The Reverend Tholomew Plague (more simply known as The Rev) pounded the drums to a very demanding song, twirling his drumsticks and tapping his feet with precise rhythm on the bass drum.

But what caught her eye more than anything was Brian on the guitar. His stage name, Synyster Gates, gave off a menacing vibe but watching him play guitar was exhilarating. He smirked smugly throughout their set, confident in what he was doing and rightfully so. He was so talented - sweeping his guitar pick along the strings with precision, fingering the strings with ease, creating a melody that had her bobbing her own head. He was so comfortable, so assertive, with the way he played; he kicked one leg up on the stage riser, balancing his guitar against his thigh as he played his solo so fast but so clean. 

Zacky made his way over to Synyster Gates, playing along his side, creating a picture perfect rock-star scene since Zack played guitar left-handed and Brian played right-handed. The harmonic dive bombs sent chills down her spine.

It was inspiring and heartwarming to watch them play together. She could tell they were each living out their dreams with their best friends and they were loving every second of it.

The crowd was loving it too. Every person was going insane, screaming for the guys, crowd-surfing, moshing, and singing along to every word of every song.

Once the show ended and every fan that wanted a shirt had bought one, Aubrey double checked her inventory and packed up all the merchandise then loaded it into the bus singlehandedly. It took a lot of focus and mentally, she was drained, but she was proud of herself for getting it all done. Especially because less than 24 hours prior, she was stressed out of her mind about how to make it all work and regretting her decision to accept this job.

After everything was packed up, she joined the guys in the green room. She could feel the intense energy as soon as she stepped through the doorway. The guys were **amped**, buzzing with adrenaline, unable to sit still.

"You guys!" Aubrey cheered as she walked into the room. "That was the first time I really got to watch you perform! Y'all are incredible!"

Brian smiled big, not just at her compliment, but at the fact that she had said _y'all_ again. Something about that word coming out of her mouth made blood rush to all the right places. Maybe it was the post-show adrenaline coursing through his veins, but he was immediately fighting off lewd thoughts about Aubrey as soon as she walked into the room. 

"Thanks, AC!" Zack replied with happiness radiating off of his smile as he packed up his equipment - something Jason Berry would probably be doing for him if he was still on the tour.

"Thank you! It was a good one for you to watch cause that was probably the best fuckin' show we ever had," Matt said, as he pumped his fist then sat on the couch clutching a water bottle.

"Not bad for a biker gang, huh?" Johnny provoked with a smile, wiping the sweat off of his face with a towel.

"Not bad at all," Aubrey agreed, sitting on the couch beside Matt. "The crowd loved you too!"

"I know," Zack agreed. "They were all going nuts!"

"YEAH!" Jimmy shouted as he chunked an open bottle of water onto the ground, spraying water all over the place.

They all laughed and tried to dodge the flying water. 

"I'm going find some alcohol," Zack said as he stood up and went to the door.

"Fuck, wait for me!" Jimmy hollered as he jumped over the small coffee table and followed Zack out the door.

Matt laughed and threw his bottle of water at Jimmy. It hit him square in the back but didn't make Jimmy miss a step as he lifted his middle finger in the air behind him and continued out the door.

"I think I'm gonna call my mom," Matt said with a laugh as he pulled out his phone. "She's gonna freak when she hears how many kids were at the show tonight."

Aubrey smiled at the sentiment. The guys all had rough exteriors and were loud and brash, but she could tell that, deep down, they were such kindhearted people. And that made her so happy. 

With that thought, her eyes found Brian. He was staring back at her. With a darkened and heated gaze. She recognized that look from her hotel room. But he was fidgety, wringing his fingers as his knee bounced up and down rapidly. She gave him a subtle questioning look.

Very discreetly, he nodded his head toward the door of the green room. If she hadn't been looking right at him, she wouldn't have even seen him do it. He was acting really strange.

Johnny poured a bottle of water over his head in an attempt to cool off. Matt stood up and began to pace the room as he spoke to his mother on the phone. He was oblivious to Brian's odd behavior. 

Moments later, Brian stood up and stalked out of the room then down the hall. The swift action caught Johnny's eye and he glanced over at Aubrey to see a bemused look on her face. 

"We all get a little worked up after shows," he explained. "Too much adrenaline."

She nodded softly, understanding the sentiment, but that wasn't why she looked confused. She was trying to determine if Brian was signaling for her to follow him. Because it seemed like he was. But why? Well...she could probably figure out why, but hadn't they made a pact?

"I'm going find a shower or something," Johnny said, pulling his shirt over his head and throwing it off to the side. "I smell like shit."

She laughed and watched as he walked out of the room. She turned to Matt, who was preoccupied talking to his mom. With no one else around, she quietly got up and walked out into the hallway. She looked to the left, which seemed to only lead to a stairwell so she headed to the right. She could hear people talking but didn't actually see anyone in the hall. Most of the rooms down the hallway either had the door shut or were pitch black, so where was she going? Was she supposed to just open random doors until she found Brian? 

Bad idea. It was such a bad idea. She knew what would happen if she found him. Why, other than the fact that she really wanted to, was she looking for him?

She was two seconds away from turning around and heading back to the green room like a sane, levelheaded person when she was swiftly yanked out of the hallway and pulled into a dark room. For half a second, she wanted to scream for help; she couldn't see anything and the grip around her arm was tight. But when the door slammed shut, a pair of lips crashed into her mouth and she immediately recognized the taste.

_Brian_.

"Mm," he grunted when she kissed back, pushing his hips into hers. He honestly thought she wouldn't come looking for him; he was afraid it would freak her out or make her mad since they agreed to only fuck once. But his blood was on fire, reeling from the show and from the memories of his night with her. He needed to relieve himself of the pent up energy and he wanted to do so with her. And when he felt her kiss back, he knew it was game on. Not even 24 hours later and their agreement had flown out of the window like a bat out of hell.

His mouth left hers and traveled down to her jar then her neck, where he licked and sucked every inch that he could. She tilted her head to the side to give him better access; in other words, she wanted more. She was already aching between her thighs and he felt the vibration of her moan on his lips while he kissed her throat. 

He quickly flicked open the button on her pants then tugged the zipper down. His fingers dipped into her panties, sliding between her folds with ease. 

She inhaled sharply when his calloused finger brushed over her throbbing clit.

"God damn," Brian mumbled against her collarbone, feeling how wet and ready she was. 

Unfortunately, they'd have to be quick, but he didn't think he'd last longer than a minute at that point anyway. He pulled her away from the door and pushed her to lean forward. She braced herself against what felt like a table and jutted her hips out, knowing he was about to take her from behind, just like she had fantasized about that morning on the bus. He slowly pulled her pants down, leaving them hanging around her mid-thigh. The sudden bareness left her cold in certain areas but heat still radiated from her core.

"Hold on," he said softly as he moved away from her. "I want to see you."

She heard him shuffling behind her until a very dim light flickered on. She quickly took in her surroundings and gathered that they were in a small conference room of some sort. There was probably a switch for fluorescent lights somewhere in the room, but the hazy orange glow set the mood perfectly. 

She felt Brian return to his position behind her when his hands found her hips and his lips found her ass. He kissed the soft, smooth skin, admiring the sensory overload from the sight, taste, and feel of her bare skin again. 

She heard jingling behind her as Brian hastily undid his belt and shoved his pants down. She wanted so badly to turn around and stroke him again, but she could tell by his urgency that there was no time. 

The foil wrapper ripped and seconds later, he was sheathed and lined up at her entrance. 

With one hand on her hip and one hand keeping his cock steady, he pushed into her slowly. Since she couldn't spread her legs far due to her pants restricting her thighs, she felt even tighter than before. It took a few extra firm pushes until he was finally fully inside of her.

Her head lolled forward. "Fuck," she cursed at the feeling of him filling her to her limit. "You're so big."

His eyes nearly rolled into the back of his head hearing her say that. It was too much. The sight of her bare ass pushed up against his pelvis. The feeling of her so tight and so warm around him. The smell of sex already in the air. The sound of her moans and her dirty words. The taste of her lips still lingering on his own. He couldn't handle it. He was going to pass out, he just knew it. 

With caution, he pulled halfway out and pushed back in. She rushed her hips back to meet his. He winced at how painfully good it felt. And as he moved again, so did she. The way she put forth just as much effort as he did - it was his own little piece of heaven.

"You're fuckin' killing me, AC," he groaned, gripping her hips tightly with both hands.

She glanced over her shoulder at him and smirked, and it was so god damn sexy.

Holding her gaze, he continued to move his hips rhythmically, pumping in and out of her roughly. She didn't shy away from his stare, keeping the eye contact as she rolled her ass back toward him, meeting his thrusts with her own. watching his jaw clench when she moaned.

His fingertips dug into her skin like he was grasping at straws to keep his composure. It turned her on immensely to know he was struggling to not lose his mind. When she felt the impending orgasm build deep within her belly, she had to look away as her eyes fluttered shut and she threw her head back.

He looked down, watching as he pounded in and out of her, as her perfectly plump ass jiggled as his hips smacked into it, as his fingers left marks in her skin.

And when he felt her let go, her inner walls squeezing him, milking him as she came hard, he released, jerking his hips vigorously, having no control over his body. He grunted roughly, gripping her hips and continuing to slam into her.

Her hips bucked backward as moans escaped her lips with no inhibition. She could feel him pulsate inside of her, sending more waves of pleasure throughout her body. It felt like a series of blissful detonations that started from her core and exploded into to every extremity, every organ, and every nerve.

Coming down from the intense high, he leaned forward, still inside of her, and rested his hands on the table on either side of her as she panted beneath him. She tried to stand upright but he didn't budge, so her body leaned flush against his. He moved one hand from the table and rested it on her stomach, holding her to him. He kissed the back of her head and kept his lips there, panting into her hair.

When he finally pulled out of her, a small groan escaped both of their lips. As she pulled her pants up and adjusted herself, he discarded the condom in a trashcan in the corner, leaving a nice little surprise for someone to discover later. He tucked himself into his underwear and turned to find her leaning against the table, watching him. He walked back over to her and held her face in his hands then kissed her roughly.

"Let's go before they come looking for us," she mumbled into his mouth.

He pulled away from the kiss and saw a smoky look of satisfaction in her eyes. She smiled. 

"I'll go first," she said, moving toward the door. She opened it and peeked down the hall then glanced back at him and nodded toward his crotch. "Don't forget to zip up your pants."

On that note, she slithered through the door and out of his sight.

Frustrated, he slammed his fist into the wall. He needed that release from the rush of adrenaline that he got after a show. And she gave it to him, good and hard. 

But now, he needed a release from the rush of adrenaline that he got from her. 


	4. Chapter 4

A bad dream woke Aubrey up with a jolt. She blinked a few times, adjusting her to her surroundings. She wasn't sure what time it was, but it had to still be the middle of the night. The bus was quiet but she could feel it gently rocking, meaning they were still driving. She threw on a sweatshirt and climbed out of her bunk then drug her feet into the living space to grab a bottle of water.

"It was hilarious, man," Jimmy slurred, talking to the bus driver as he laid with his back on the floor and his legs up, resting over the couch cushions. "He puked everywhere, all over his expensive clothes, all over his girlfriend. Instant karma." 

"What goes around comes around, kid," Merle, the bus driver, replied.

"Aubrey!" Jimmy finally noticed her in the room. "What the fuck are you doing right now?" He seemed totally unaffected by the fact that was it four in the morning.

"Getting some water," she said as she pulled a bottle out of the fridge. "What the fuck are _you_ doing right now?"

"Just livin' my life," he said dreamily.

Merle closed the divider that separated his driver's area from the rest of the bus, hoping Jimmy would finally pass out soon. He truly enjoyed his late night talks with the drummer, but he knew Jimmy needed to sleep off the alcohol and drugs in his system.

"Where are my fuckin' glasses?" Jimmy asked as he swung his legs back onto the ground. He tried to sit upright but swayed violently.

"Whoa, lay back down," Aubrey said as she grabbed Jimmy's glasses off the counter. "Here."

"Thaaank youuu!" He sang as he took them from her and flopped back onto the floor then slid them onto his face. 

"You're welcome," she said as she stood over him. 

"Are you gonna hang out with me?" He asked sweetly, looking up at her with big eyes.

"Sure," she said with a smile as she sat on the couch and tucked her feet under her.

"I took too many pills," Jimmy admitted somewhat sheepishly. "Everything is floating."

"You gotta be careful, Jim," she said with sincerity. "You really shouldn't mix pills. Especially with alcohol."

"Okay, MOM!" He said with a laugh. "I'm fine. Besides I'm not gonna live to see my thirtieth birthday anyway."

"Don't say that," she told him softly. 

"You're fucking cool, AC," he said, as if he was finally coming to that conclusion. "I like you."

"I like you, too, Jimmy," she replied with a chuckle.

Before he could speak again, Brian sauntered into the room quietly. He smiled at Aubrey sweetly. She responded with her own grin.

"Whoa!" Jimmy shouted, whipping his head toward his bandmate, finally noticing him in the room now. "Stealth ninja!" He brought his hands up in the air in a karate pose.

"You are twenty kinds of fucked up, aren't you?" Brian joked to him as he sat down next to Aubrey, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees.

Jimmy shrugged from the floor. "I'm good."

"I bet you are," Brian laughed.

"AC, did you know that Synyster Gates and I have been best friends since we were like eight?" Jimmy slurred.

"I did not know that," she answered truthfully, glancing at Brian who still had a gentle smile on his face.

"Yep," Jimmy said simply. "One time, when we were younger, he fuckin' pushed me into this lake in the park by where we grew up. When I got out, I told that motherfucker, 'If you ever push me into a lake again, I'm gonna shove a knife in your neck.' And you know what he did? He fuckin' pushed me right back into that lake. And I knew from that moment that we'd be best friends for the rest of our lives. This fuckin' prick."

Despite his joking nature, she actually really enjoyed hearing that story, hearing about their extended friendship and their childhood. She smiled at Brian, who was smiling even bigger at the memory.

"He has literally dropkicked me on several occasions since then, so I don't really feel too bad about pushing him into that lake anymore," Brian told her.

He turned to Jimmy expectantly, anticipating a witty response. But he didn't reply.

"No comment?" Brian wondered. "No comeback?"

The only noise Jimmy emitted was a soft snore.

Brian let out a hearty laugh at his suddenly unconscious friend. "What an idiot."

"Have you guys really been friends that long?" She wondered.

"Yeah," he answered. "Nearly twenty years. And not a single moment has been dull."

"I believe that," she laughed. "Should we try to get him to his bunk?"

"Yeah," Brian exhaled, standing up. "Probably." He leaned over his friend and snapped his fingers in his face. "Jimbo, get up. Go lay in your bunk."

Jimmy simply snored louder.

"That's not gonna make him want to get up," Aubrey laughed. She moved off the couch and kneeled down next to Jimmy then moved his hair out of his eyes sweetly. "Jimmy," she cooed. "Come on, let's go get you comfy in your bunk."

Jimmy moved but only to snuggle up to Aubrey's legs, curled up like a little kid.

"Yeah, that's not gonna work either," Brian chuckled as he crouched down behind his best friend's head and lifted him upright from his shoulders. 

"Hey, what the fuck are you doing?" Jimmy slurred, lazily trying to swat Brian's hands away from him as he was being pulled to his feet.

"Come on, man. You're gonna wake up with a killer crick in your neck if you sleep on the floor," Brian said, getting him to his feet.

"Piss off, let Aubrey carry me," Jimmy said, flinging himself onto her shoulders. 

She laughed and tried to keep him upright despite the fairly large height difference. "Come on, big guy."

Brian stayed close behind, just in case Jimmy decided to go limp and take her down. Between the two of them, they managed to finagle him into his bunk. As she covered him with his blanket, he reached up and ruffled her hair.

"You're a doll," Jimmy said sweetly in a childlike voice.

"So are you, Jimmy," she replied with a grin.

Within seconds, he was snoring again. They pulled the curtain closed, laughing.

"He's a mess," Brian whispered.

"Like you said, never a dull moment," she replied quietly. 

He stood in front of her, close but not touching; his eyes locked on hers. She glanced at his mouth and he swallowed hard. Why was he so drawn to her? She was a walking magnet and his dick was solid metal. 

"Goodnight, Brian," she said softly.

"Night, Aubrey," he replied then watched as she climbed into her bunk. 

He hesitated a moment then got into his own bed. He frowned, rubbing his face with both hands. It had only been a couple days since they had sex at the venue, why couldn't he keep his dick in his pants? Why didn't he _want_ to? He tried to tell himself that it wouldn't happen again - it **couldn't** happen again - but he knew that the second the opportunity presented itself, he would go for it again. 

And how could he not? They had exhilarating sex. Taboo, dirty, secret sex. Just the thought of sneaking around made him hard.

He wasn't worried about her getting hung up on him or falling for him or anything like that. She definitely didn't give off any vibes that she took their relationship the wrong way. And she didn't seem like the type of girl to get hung up on a hookup anyway. Which was good because he couldn't and didn't want to date their _merch girl_. Although he told himself he didn't want to sleep with her either and that was a fucking lie... Either way, he only wanted casual sex, especially on tour. He just didn't want it with her. Well, that wasn't true either; he _did_ want it with her. But he needed to control himself. He **couldn't** have it with her. It just wasn't smart and he needed to be smart.

With those thoughts, he nodded to himself, as if he had made up his mind and he was done... No more sex with Aubrey. 

Ø

As hard as he tried, Brian would never be successful in avoiding Aubrey, as they were consistently within a few feet of each other at all times, living on a tour bus together and working at venues together, but as long as he made sure to never be alone with her, he felt as if he had, at least, a miniscule amount of self-control.

And for a few days now, he was successful. He interacted with her as usual, talking with everyone, and making jokes - but he didn't put himself in the position to jump her bones. She didn't seem to have any issue with the way things were going; hell, she didn't even really seem to notice that he was staying away from her. And for that reason, he was thankful. She was making the quest extremely easy for him. 

However, that didn't mean that he was satiated in the slightest. He still craved her every time he saw her. 

Especially when he walked into the merch area of a venue a few days later and saw her setting boxes down behind her table. With her ass sticking out. Taunting him. His mouth watered as he watched her open a box and pull a few of the contents out. With the merch area nestled between the venue's entrance and the stage area, he knew he'd be passing by her a lot that day and night. He'd have to make sure he was never alone.

She stood back up and turned around, setting accessories on the table in front of her. She glanced over at him when she realized she wasn't alone and smiled when she saw him. "Hey, what's up?"

"Just seeing if you need any help," he said, mentally patting himself on the back for coming up with such a nonchalant excuse for why he standing there.

She looked around briefly. "I think I'm good actually. Thanks, though!"

Suddenly, Valary poked her head around the corner. "Promoter is gonna put on some music - have any requests?" 

"Put on some Jay-Z or something," Aubrey suggested.

Brian made a face as he sat on top of one of the empty merch tables across from her.

"What? You don't like Jay-Z?" She asked.

"Not exactly what I'd expect to be playing in the venue before our show," Brian said with a laugh.

Aubrey shrugged. "Outkast?"

Brian shook his head as he and Valary laughed.

"Jay-Z and Outkast it is," Valary winked and disappeared.

"You might be the only one in the history of **ever** to listen to Jay-Z and Outkast before an Avenged Sevenfold show," Brian said.

She shrugged again as she began to set things out on the merch table.

Moments later, the sound of Jay-Z's "Big Pimpin'" began playing through the venue. She smirked and raised her eyebrows at Brian.

"I cannot believe this is happening," he laughed as she danced silly, moving her shoulders up and down.

"You know I thug 'em, fuck 'em, love 'em, leave 'em - 'cause I don't fuckin' need 'em. Take 'em out the hood, keep 'em lookin' good, but I don't fuckin' feed 'em," Aubrey rapped to Brian, dancing goofily and pointing to him.

Out of nowhere, Jimmy ran into the merch area and rapped, "I'm a pimp in every sense of the word, bitch - better trust than believe 'em!" 

Aubrey continued to rap along to the song, pointing to Jimmy and giving Brian a look that said 'SEE ITS NOT JUST ME WHO LOVES THIS SONG!' Jimmy danced over to Aubrey, still rapping the words along with her. He thrusted his hips at her, faux-grinding on her. In return, she shook her ass playfully at him. 

"And let's ri-i-i-i-i-ide," they sang, still dancing. "Check 'em out now, r-i-i-i-i-ide."

Brian laughed, watching them have fun. Between the two of them, they knew every single word to the song. It surprised him that Jimmy knew the song so well. But it didn't surprise him that Aubrey knew it. Yet it made him appreciate her even more. Why was she the coolest girl he's ever met?

"We doin' big pimpin' - we spendin' cheese," Zacky sang as he walked in next.

"Not you too!" Brian wailed, though he was hysterically laughing at this point. All of his friends were against him!

Zacky thrusted his hips toward Brian, continuing to sing.

Johnny walked through next. "This song is making me horny!" He yelled over the music. Brian was thankful he didn't seem to know the words, but of course he stopped to dance with his friends anyway.

Moments later, Valary walked through. She was busy looking over a handful of papers but she bobbed her shoulders along to the music. 

When Johnny saw her walking toward him, he danced in her direction. As she walked by him, she stopped to shake her hips on him briefly, then continued walking out the room.

"Woo, Valary!" Johnny called as he followed her out still dancing.

"Uh smokin' out, throwin' up, keepin' lean up in my cup," Jimmy, Zacky, and Aubrey sang simultaneously. "All my car got leather and wood, in my hood we call it buck."

"Texas girl, this is all you," Jimmy hollered over the music as it hit a certain part.

"Uh now, what y'all know 'bout them Texas boys?" Aubrey rapped as she shook her hips. "Comin' down in candied toys, smokin' weed and talkin' noise."

"Oh shiiit," Zacky bellowed in support.

When the song ended, all four were laughing. Brian, amused as ever, was shaking his head with a huge smile spread across his face.

"Okay, okay," Aubrey waved her hands in surrender. "I'm done, back to work!" 

"Good times, HOVA," Jimmy said as he high-fived her then ran back toward the stage area to finish setting up his drums.

"That made me feel like I was in high school again," Zacky commented, walking out of the venue.

Aubrey laughed then went back to setting up the merch. Brian watched her for a minute then walked away shaking his head. That little show she just put on sure as fuck didn't help his avoidance cause. 

That afternoon, he walked back and forth past the merch booth from time to time, catching subtle moments as she gently swayed her hips and softly sang along to Outkast. He even caught her as she reached up to hang up a t-shirt, exposing her midriff. The sight stopped him dead in his tracks. 

It was right in front of him. Her bare skin. The skin he touched. The skin he kissed. The skin he dug his fingertips into. The skin that's marked with a faint fading bruise. The skin that **he** left a mark on. 

He swallowed hard as he hurried past her before she noticed him. He needed to get away from her and focus on their show, because he could feel it - he was losing his control. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this SUPER random chapter was actually based on a huge part of my dream. How weird, right? Singing Jay-Z with Avenged Sevenfold? What was my subconscious trying to tell me?! Haha &*


	5. Chapter 5

The merch area was separated from the main stage by a wall, which bummed Aubrey out as she couldn't see the guys while they played. But she would take momentary breaks from the merch booth when there were no customers to peek around the wall and catch a glimpse of the guys playing.

She felt an odd sense of pride when she watched them perform. Yes, they had become her friends, but she felt bound to them by something more; she was really proud of them. She was even starting to learn some of their songs, which made sense when she heard them night after night.

Her favorite part of their set, by far, was anytime Zacky Vengeance and Synyster Gates (because, yes, she did feel like they were different people on stage) played guitar riffs and/or solos side-by-side. It was so aesthetically pleasing but also really cool to watch them play so closely together. 

And just like always, watching Brian play as Synyster Gates sent tingles between her thighs. She always made a mental note to stay away from him after the show. They hadn't hooked up in days, but she still had to remind herself each night that no matter how much she enjoyed having sex with him - which was A LOT - she had to stop. And the guys were so amped after shows, she was bound to end up beneath him if she didn't watch her back closely.

The show ended fairly early that night due to a local curfew law for promoters, so everything was accounted for and loaded in the storage compartment before 11 o'clock that night. She met the guys in the green room, and as always, they were amped and throwing stuff around.

"AC!" Jimmy shouted as he did a cartwheel and landed at her feet.

"What's up?" She said with a laugh. "You guys sounded great tonight."

"Thank you, beautiful woman," Jimmy replied as he jumped to his feet. "We're gonna head to this strip club down the road, do you want to come with us?"

At his bandmate's question, Brian snapped his head up and watched Aubrey's face closely to gauge her reaction to them going to a strip club.

She laughed. "Nah."

"Val is going," Matt offered. "Just in case you were worried about being the only girl."

She smiled in appreciation but she wasn't feeling the strip club tonight. "I think I'm just gonna stay on the bus tonight. Thanks though."

"Alright, well, all you other bitches need to hurry and shower, because none of those fine ass strippers are gonna wanna shake their asses on your smelly, sweaty balls, so let's get a move on," Johnny demanded, clapping his hands twice to speed everyone up.

"Bossy little bitch," Zack commented as he rolled his eyes.

None of the guys moved, completely ignoring Johnny's request.

Brian was still mostly focused on Aubrey's face, but she didn't seem bothered by their plans. Not that he expected her to be. But most girls would be. Although, if he's learned anything at all these last couple weeks, it's that Aubrey is **not** most girls, as cliché as that sounds.

Once everyone was ready to go, they walked out of the venue together and said their goodbyes to their merch girl.

"You guys have fun," Aubrey said as she separated from the group. 

"Okay, if you change your mind, call me and I'll tell you how to get there!" Valary told her.

"Thanks!" She called back as she walked toward the parking lot. But instead of walking to the bus, she kept walking down the road, wanting to view the small town they were in. Not much was open at that hour, but she enjoyed seeing the cute little shops that were probably bustling with customers during the day.

She continued down the road, passing a movie theater with teenagers strewn about on the sidewalk then a bakery then a produce stand. She continued until she stumbled upon a nearby park that had cute benches and a playground. She took a seat on the swings and began to rock back and forth.

The wind in her hair felt refreshing and she appreciated the small moment of silence and solidarity.

When she agreed to go on this tour, she wasn't sure how she would feel about living on a cramped tour bus with what she expected to be a bunch of smelly guys with rockstar attitudes, but she wanted to give it a shot anyway. Much to her surprise, not only were the guys not smelly rockstars, but she also thoroughly enjoyed being on tour and roughing it for a while. It was so different than anything she had done and anything she had ever expected herself to do, and she was having so much fun with it. Maybe because she knew it was temporary, as she wouldn't want to live that life forever. 

But either way, as much as she found herself enjoying it, she found herself soaking in the brief time to herself, knowing those moments were sparse on tour. And while she relished in the fresh air, she made a few phone calls to her family members to check in and catch up on their lives and catch them up on her own life.

A little while later, she made her way back to the venue and approached the bus, anticipating another round of solitary silence since Merle had rented a hotel room for the night. But when she opened the door and climbed the steps into the living area, she immediately saw Brian standing between the bunks. He turned to her with a look of relief.

"Hey," she greeted. "What're you doing back already?"

"Where were you?" He asked, his voice somewhat strained and panicked.

"I just took a walk through town," she answered simply as she set her phone down and began to take her jacket off.

"By yourself?" He asked.

"Yes?" She answered with a questioning intonation as she walked toward the bunks, where he was still standing.

"Are you insane? It's almost midnight," he admonished. "You could've been kidnapped. You're on tour with a bunch of big ass dudes - you don't need to go anywhere by yourself."

She laughed and started to remind him that she's a big girl **and** that no one was around to go with her anyway so she didn't have another choice, but when she remembered the fact that _no one else was around_, her mood switched gears. And not in a smart, responsible way. 

Because she was on the bus. With Brian. Alone. And all of her mental reminders about staying away from him flew out of the window. 

As if a light switch had been flipped, suddenly, she wanted him. Hell, she **always** wanted him. But now that she could have him, she wanted him **bad**.

"Why aren't you at the strip club?" She asked instead, continuing to walk over to him.

He immediately noticed the sultry change in her voice, feeing it in his groin. His jaw tightened as he tried to mentally repeat his mantra - no more sex with Aubrey, no more sex with Aubrey, no more sex with Aubrey.

"Busted ass girls on stage," he answered quietly, his eyes never leaving her. "Johnny and Jimmy are still there but the rest of us left."

"Where's everyone else at?" She wondered, as she got so close he could feel her hot breath on his cheek.

"Matt and Val got a room for the night; they wanted some alone time. Zack left with some chick," he told her, looking down into her heated eyes.

"Merle got a room for the night, too," she said huskily.

"Fuck," he breathed.

"That's the plan," she said wittily as she grabbed him by his neck and pulled him down to her mouth. She kissed him rough, immediately sliding her tongue into his open mouth. He kissed back with fervor as he turned and pushed her up against the bunks, grinding his pelvis into hers. But she had other ideas. 

With their lips still attached, she pushed him the opposite way until his back hit the other side of the bunks with a thud. His mind was reeling at how she was taking control. So he let her. He let her remove his jacket. He let her rip off his shirt. He let her unbuckle his belt then unbutton his pants then yank down his zipper. And when she sank to her knees, he completely relinquished his control and gave it all to her.

His heart was racing, thumping in his chest as she tugged his pants down just far enough to free his throbbing member from his pants.

Aubrey wasted no time, running her tongue from the base of his shaft up to the tip then swirling her tongue around it before she wrapped her lips around him completely.

Brian couldn't take his eyes off of her. He wanted this sight etched into his memory forever. Had he seriously sworn off sex with her before? Was he absolutely out of his god damned mind?

Aubrey placed one hand behind him on his bare ass, and brought the other hand to his cock, wrapping her fingers around him to supplement her mouth as she bobbed her head up and down.

She pulled her lips off with a smack and moaned as she looked up at him. "God, you're huge," she sighed, continuing to pump him with her hand.

Brian smirked smugly at her but didn't respond.

"I'm serious," she continued as she ran her tongue up his shaft again, keeping their eyes locked the whole time. "I don't think I've ever been with a guy as big as you."

He grunted as he jerked his hips involuntarily. "Jesus Christ. I appreciate the sentiment but if you don't stop talking about how big my dick is, I'm going to nut before I'm even inside you."

She smirked and took him in her mouth again, never breaking eye contact. She slowly took every inch of him in until he hit the back of her throat. She gagged slightly and his mouth fell open in pleasure at the sight of her unable to take him all in her mouth. 

As she wrapped her lips around him again, she moved her hand to gently cup his balls. And he could've died right then and there. He didn't know what the hell was happening but, out of all the great blowjobs he had ever received, this was the one that was going to kill him. He wasn't going to survive it. In the best way possible.

He knew if he didn't take back at least _some_ of the control, he'd come too quick, so he grabbed a fistful of the hair at the back of her head to steady her and started gently rolling his hips. She followed his lead, allowing him to fuck her mouth. But in order to not let him have full control, she tightened the hand on his ass and with her other hand, she felt up his abs, dragging her fingernails down every ridge of his subtle six-pack.

"God damn," he breathed, watching his cock slide in and out of her mouth. 

When he was on the edge of an orgasm, he pulled her off of him and let go of her hair. He took a few deep breaths to regain his composure.

He went to grab her, to pull her to him for a kiss, but she quickly stood and backed up into the back lounge. He gave her a questioning look, but she motioned for him to follow her, and he knew exactly what was happening. He grabbed a condom from his wallet then kicked his pants off the rest of the way and moved to the lounge where she was taking her clothes off. He tried to grab her again, wanting to kiss her and help her remove her clothes, but she stopped him then pushed him backwards until he sat on the couch.

With a heated gaze, he watched her take the rest of her clothes off. She took the condom from him, rolled it on him herself, then climbed onto his lap. Holy fuck, he realized she was going to ride him.

She kissed him, letting him taste himself on her lips, then sank down on his dick slowly, taking him all in. He moaned into her mouth and she swallowed the sound with her own sigh.

She stayed still for a moment, always enjoying the feeling of his initial penetration. He slid a hand up to her neck and held her close as he continued to kiss her. She lifted her ass and began to bounce on him, working him over and riding him. He threw his head back and she took the opportunity to kiss his neck and collar bone, flicking her tongue across sensitive areas.

"Baby," he groaned sternly, almost as a warning, even though he was unaware of the sounds that were leaving his mouth.

She sat up straight then leaned back a little, separating their bodies enough for him to see her entire torso as she began to roll her hips on him. Almost immediately, a familiar pleasant sensation began to burrow in her belly.

"Oh, fuck," he grunted, watching her move. The motions didn't give him a lot of stimulation but it was sexy as sin to watch and he could tell it was pleasing the hell out of her.

She continued to ride him like that, seeking out her own orgasm. He steadied her with a hand on each hip, gripping them as she moved. Although it didn't physically do much for him, he could've come just watching her gyrate like that. 

Every time they fucked, he felt lightheaded and dizzy. And this time was absolutely no exception. He was just thankful he was sitting down and she was forcing him to let her do all the work; he could hardly see straight.

He quickly recognized the look on her face when her eyes fluttered shut. She was about to come. Her head fell backwards and he had to tighten his grip on her hips to keep it together. Just watching her come would make him come, no doubt about it. With or without anyone touching his dick.

She sighed in pleasure as she leaned forward, her lips crashing into his. She bobbed up and down on him, sending him a jolt of unexpected pleasure. It wouldn't take long; he was such a goner.

He couldn't keep still any longer; he bucked his hips upward, pumping into her as she slammed down onto him. He gripped her hips so tight that his knuckles were turning white.

They were both seeing stars at the intensity of their bodies colliding.

"God, that feels good," she groaned.

"So good," he echoed, pressing his forehead against hers, watching as her mouth dropped down into an 'O' shape.

"Brian," she sighed, clutching the back of his neck, holding his forehead to hers as she came on top of him, her body convulsing in rhythm.

Hearing her moan his name like that pushed him over the edge and his orgasm erupted through him like fireworks. "Yeah, just like that, baby," he growled, bucking his hips over and over again until he was empty.

She went limp on top of him, resting her face into the crook of his neck as he relaxed beneath her. He let go of her hips but wrapped an arm around her back to keep her in place. His other hand rested on her thigh. And when she whimpered as the remnants of the orgasm continued to roll through her like an aftershock, he placed a gentle kiss on her head, keeping his face close to hers, inhaling her soft scent.

At that moment, he gave up. Stick a fork in him, he's done. He's not fighting it anymore. The entire earth moves when they have sex and he's not going to deny it or avoid it any longer. He's gonna enjoy whatever moments he can get with her, as long as she continues to be okay with it, because he knows he's not ever going to sleep with anyone like her ever again. 

Ø

Blood splattered across the screen. A loud high-pitch shriek squeaked through the speakers. Aubrey wrinkled her nose in disgust as she brought a chip covered in blood-red salsa to her mouth. She sat in the living area of the bus at the dining table with one knee brought up to her chest as she watched some cheesy horror movie on the TV and had a midnight snack. 

The door to the bus swung open with force. It startled Aubrey momentarily, thanks to the horror movie, until she heard Jimmy's loud booming laughter. Seconds later, he and Johnny barreled up the stairs and into her sight.

"Yoo, AC," Johnny greeted.

"Hey," she replied, pretending that they hadn't just scared the life outta her.

"Ooh, chips and salsa," Jimmy chirped as he hurried over to the table and sat across from her then grabbed a large handful of chips. He moved the bowl of salsa in between them and smiled at her as he dipped a chip. 

"Where are Zack and Gates?" Johnny asked.

"Zack's not back yet," Aubrey said, watching the TV. "Brian's asleep, I guess." She shrugged, trying to play it off like she didn't know or care. 

"What a pussy," Johnny remarked as he moved through the bunks. "It's not even 3 in the morning." 

Without warning, Jimmy shoved the rest of his handful of his chips in his mouth, crunching loudly and spilling chip crumbs everywhere. Aubrey furrowed her brow at him but laughed at his drunken antics.

"Holy shit," Johnny hollered from the back lounge. "It smells like hot, dirty sex back here!"

Her eyes widened in fear. How the hell did he know?

"Oh, _that's_ why Brian is already asleep!" Jimmy said, muffled by the mouthful of chips, with wide eyes and raised eyebrows. "_That's_ why he was 'bored' at the strip club." He made finger quotations when he said 'bored.'

Her heart thumped in her chest. Did they seriously just get busted?

"Damn, he hasn't brought a random chick back to the bus in a while!" Johnny said as he emerged from the bunk hallway. 

Aubrey sighed with relief. Johnny obviously didn't think that **she** was the girl. 

"Wait, let's go see what she looks like!" Johnny quipped as he darted back down through the bunks.

Jimmy scrambled out of his chair to get in on the action, stumbling into the small hallway.

Aubrey knew Brian didn't have a girl in his bed, but she peeked around the corner and into the hall to watch. In an attempt to scare him or catch him off guard, Johnny quickly whipped back the curtain on Brian's bunk.

"What, she's gone already!" Johnny shouted, seeing his bandmate alone and unconscious.

Well, he _was_ unconscious. 

Confused and still half asleep, Brian sat up in his bunk. "Who's gone? Why are you yelling?"

"You dog!" Johnny encouraged with a laugh as he walked back to the front lounge. "You didn't waste any time kicking her out!" 

Aubrey stifled a laugh as Brian climbed out of his bunk looking awfully adorable with disheveled hair and sleepy eyes, wearing only sweatpants that hung dangerously low on his hips. She eyed the tattoos that were inked across his body. How was she already wanting to jump his bones again? 

"What'd she look like, AC?" Johnny wondered as he began making a sandwich. "I bet Gates was holding out for a good one."

She shrugged as she resumed her seat at the table across from Jimmy again. "I didn't see her. But I'm sure she was hot."

"She was," Brian remarked simply, smirking at her as he reached into the chip bag and grabbed a handful for himself.

She couldn't stop the smile that spread across her face.

"Oh! Sliced his head right off!" Jimmy exclaimed excitedly, watching the horror movie, completely oblivious to the innuendos that were literally right in front of his face. 

"I bet she wasn't as hot as the stripper who gave me a lap dance for a fuckin' hour tonight," Johnny argued.

"I _promise_ my girl was hotter," Brian answered, making eye contact with Aubrey as he said it. 

She tried to hide the blush that graced her cheeks.

"Yeah and she didn't cost you $300, did she, Brian?" Jimmy added, subtly calling Johnny out.

"You paid a stripper $300 for a fucking lap dance?" Brian gawked at the bass player. 

"It lasted a whole fucking hour!" Johnny defended.

"You paid $300 for an hour-long boner," Aubrey pointed out.

"$300 for blue balls," Jimmy added.

"Wow. $300 to not even bust your load," Brian quipped, shaking his head. "My girl was definitely hotter, I paid zero dollars, _and_ I got off. Good and hard too."

Aubrey's thighs tightened at his words.

"Fuck you," Johnny grumbled with a mouthful of his sandwich.

"Oh shit," Jimmy commented on the horror movie again. "Kill that bitch, Jason!" 

As he and Johnny focused their attention on the TV, Aubrey glanced over at Brian again. He winked at her cutely. She wondered what the guys would say if they knew she was the girl that Brian slept with that night. They were all so friendly and accepting, she was no longer worried that they would think less of her, though she thought less of herself. However, if they knew, it would give the relationship some tangibility. 

Right now, they were sleeping together, but nothing was tying them together past that. The more people that knew, the more questions and comments that would arise. And she didn't want their relationship to progress into anything more. Or regress into anything less, for that matter. She liked exactly what they were doing. Sure, it was probably real stupid to keep sleeping together without really discussing what the hell they were doing, but it was pretty clear that they couldn't keep their hands to themselves. And as long as things stayed the way they were, she would be fine with the whole arrangement.


	6. Chapter 6

Aubrey's eyes fluttered open. She took in her surroundings as she did each morning. Judging from the sun blaring through the blinds that covered the small window in her bunk, it was early in the morning. And although she never really adjusted to waking up in such a small, confined space, it got easier each day. The bus was still, meaning they were parked and probably already at the next stop.

She put on a sweatshirt and climbed out of her bunk then walked into the front lounge. Jimmy was passed out on the couch, his mouth wide open and drooling onto the leather. Valary was standing at the small kitchen counter making herself a bowl of cereal. She was always the first one awake, making sure everything was going according to the plan for the day. Then subsequently made sure all the guys got their asses into gear at an appropriate time.

"You're up early!" Valary greeted. "Slept well?"

"I did actually," Aubrey answered, feeling surprisingly refreshed. Maybe she was finally getting used to life on a tour bus.

"Great!" Val replied. "We don't have a lot on the schedule today and we're already at the venue, so lots of free time today!"

Aubrey laughed as she sat on the couch. "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

Valary chuckled. "Probably bad for anyone who has to encounter the wrath of Avenged Sevenfold with free time."

"I heard that," Jimmy mumbled from the couch.

"But I still love you, Jimmy-boo," Valary called over her shoulder.

"I'm so hungover," Zack whined as he walked into the room and flopped down onto the couch with Aubrey, laying his head in her lap then snuggled up to her. "Help."

She laughed and began running her fingers through his hair sweetly.

"I'm not hungover enough!" Jimmy roared as he sat up then rose to his feet with his balled fists in the air then walked over to Valary. "MOM! Do we have any HoneyBuns?"

"Look in the pantry," she said as she brought her cereal bowl to the table and sat down to eat.

"Did someone say HoneyBuns?" Brian asked as he appeared in the doorway.

"What the hell is happening this morning? I don't think any of you have been awake before noon this entire tour," Valary asked, shaking her head. "There is not enough on the schedule today to keep you guys out of trouble all day."

"Bad omen," Aubrey contributed, watching Brian and Jimmy fist-bump when they found the HoneyBuns. She removed her hand from Zack's hair but he quickly grunted. 

"Keep doing that, please," he begged quietly. "It's keeping me alive right now."

She smiled down at him and resumed raking her fingers through his hair.

"Morning, babe," Matt greeted, walking straight over to Val and leaning down to kiss her cheek.

"Oh, good morning, sweetheart" Brian replied with a mouthful of HoneyBun, nodding in Matt's direction as if the greeting had been for him.

"Why is everyone up so early?" He asked, scratching his chest through his shirt.

"I have no idea, but I'm starting to get worried," Valary answered half-jokingly. 

"I don't know how you're even standing right now," Matt said to Jimmy as he sat down on the couch across from Aubrey

"I am immortal!" Jimmy shouted, pounding his fist into the air, clutching a HoneyBun.

"Shh," Zacky pleaded from Aubrey's lap.

"I thought you'd look worse than him," Matt said to Jimmy, motioning toward Zacky. "You drank three times as much as he did."

"He's immortal!" Brian reiterated the same way Jimmy had, holding a HoneyBun in the air.

Everyone chuckled, except Zack, who was barely even moving. 

"Where's the closest bar?" Johnny asked as he sauntered into the kitchen. "I need a drink."

Zack gagged, throwing a hand over his mouth. Aubrey was the only one who noticed; she stifled a giggle, not wanting to laugh at his agony, and continued to play with his hair.

"Oh, no," Valary protested, shaking her head. "You guys are _not_ going to start drinking at noon. Absolutely not. Load-in is at 5 o'clock."

"Fuck a load-in," Jimmy snorted. "I'm about to _load-in_ a fuck ton of beer."

Johnny and Brian laughed wildly as Matt, Valary, and Aubrey shook their heads. Zacky simply groaned.

Valary tried as hard as she could to prolong the inevitable. She tried to take everyone shopping, she tried to take everyone to a movie, and she even tried to take them all to the zoo, but by 2pm, she had given up. 

Looking like a biker gang on a mission, they all walked into a nearby bar.

There were some major sporting events on TV that day, therefore the bar already had quite a few patrons for the early hour, but Johnny and Brian secured a spot big enough for all seven of them alongside the back of the bar counter. 

They lined up in the barstools - Matt then Valary then Aubrey then Jimmy. Johnny and Brian got situated at the pool table next to their friends while Zacky spread out in an adjacent booth with the hood of his hoodie up and his sunglasses covering his face as he tried not to vomit from the smell of alcohol all around him. 

"It's freezing in here!" Val complained.

"I know," Aubrey agreed. "We should've worn long sleeves."

"Alcohol will warm you up!" Johnny suggested as he racked the pool balls.

"Yeah, let's get a round of Irish Car Bombs, AC! Val, get in on this!" Jimmy encouraged his friends as he flagged down the bartender. "Matt, you too?"

Matt and Aubrey nodded.

"I'll do _one_!" Valary agreed.

Jimmy glanced over his shoulder at his pale, hungover friend and decided to be snarky. "Zack, you want one too?"

When Zacky lifted his middle finger high in the air, Jimmy let out a deep laugh then ordered four Irish Car Bombs.

When the bartender delivered their drinks, Matt counted to three then they all dropped the shot glass into the dark beer and downed the beverages.

Valary and Aubrey slammed their empty glasses down simultaneously, a few solid moments before Matt and Jimmy.

"Holy shit!" Brian shouted, clutching a pool stick. "Val and AC just dominated your asses!"

"What! AC can chug just as hard as Val? Where have you been all our lives?!" Jimmy exclaimed. "BARTENDER, FOUR MORE!"

"No!" Valary protested. "I already wiped the floor with your ass once, I'm done!"

"Boo!" Jimmy shouted at her.

Aubrey shivered as a chill swept over her. Brian noticed and shrugged off his leather jacket then handed it to her. She smiled at him appreciatively then slipped her arms into it. It smelled like him - expensive cologne and cigarettes and even a little of his natural musk that she often smelled when they made skin-to-skin contact. It turned her on to be enveloped in his clothes that doused her in his scent. And the alcohol inhibition wasn't going to help. 

"What a gentleman," Matt commended his friend on his generous gesture. "I knew you had it in you."

Brian waved him off then went back to the pool game.

"Which one of you bastards wants Val's car bomb?" Jimmy asked Brian and Johnny as the bartender set the drinks in front of them.

"I do," Johnny nodded. 

"AC's gonna put you pussies to shame," Brian teased, pausing the pool game to watch.

"Yeah, we'll see about that," Johnny challenged, walking over to the bar and grabbing his two glasses.

Once again, Matt counted to three. Shot glasses dropped. The bottom of the pub glasses turned up. And Aubrey was the first to slam hers back onto the counter.

"Son of a bitch!" Johnny yelled.

"Thatta girl," Valary praised then ordered a light beer. 

Matt ordered his own beer then hopped off the barstool and joined Zacky in the booth, watching the pool game. "I call next!"

The bar patrons erupted in loud cheers at whatever happened on the game that was playing on every TV in the place, gathering everyone's attention, but before anyone could wonder what team scored what goal, the bartender set two more Irish Car Bombs down on the counter.

"Jesus, Aubrey, would you slow down? I told you, I don't want to get too drunk before the show," Jimmy accused, feigning offense. 

She held her hands up in wonderment. "When did you even order those?"

"I didn't," he insisted. "You did."

She rolled her eyes but smirked.

"Last one for me, Jimmy," she informed him. "I can't keep up with money if I'm seeing double tonight."

"Yeah, yeah," he pushed hers in front of her. "Let's go."

They repeated the drink routine on the count of three by Val. Yet again, Aubrey's glass hit the counter first.

"You're like a fuckin' fish!" Jimmy yelled then grabbed her face and kissed her cheek. "I love this bitch!"

She laughed and shoved him away from her. He ordered a drink then jumped off the barstool and sauntered over to the pool table and began fucking with Johnny, trying to mess up his game. 

Aubrey and Valary sat at the bar chatting casually and laughing at their friends' antics. Jimmy humped every pool pocket as Johnny tried to concentrate on sinking his ball and Matt would occasionally sneak up behind Johnny and scare him just as he jabbed his pool stick into the balls, causing him to flinch and usually miss his shot. 

After a few rounds of pool and even more rounds of beer, one of the bar patrons causally made his way over to Valary and Aubrey, leaning against the counter coolly. He was decked out in chino shorts and a button down, donning a trucker hat on his head, looking like a real winner.

"What're you ladies drinking?" He asked. "Next round is on me."

Aubrey raised an eyebrow at him and laughed at his cliché approach to talking to girls in a bar.

Valary rolled her eyes. "No, thanks."

"Come on, it's just one drink," he continued.

"I'm good," Valary insisted.

"Don't make me beg," the guy went on.

Val turned her back to him.

"Fine. What about you, babe?" He turned to Aubrey.

By this point, all the guys were acutely aware of the interaction and were watching closely. They knew the two girls could handle themselves but being the protective friends that they were, they discreetly eavesdropped in case they were needed.

"Definitely not your babe and definitely not interested; thanks anyway," Aubrey told him.

"It's one fuckin' drink," the guy bargained. "I don't bite."

Aubrey ignored him.

"One drink and I'll leave you alone," the guy persisted.

"She said no," Johnny reiterated firmly to the guy, feeling the need to intervene already.

The guy scoffed. "Is she your girlfriend or something?"

"No," Johnny said matter-of-factly, as if it didn't matter if she was his girlfriend or not, because he was still sticking up for her.

"Then fuck off," the guy retorted.

"No, she's family, you prick!" Jimmy spat as he reached over Johnny and shoved the guy, getting increasingly pissed off at his refusal to take 'no' as an answer from the girls.

"Whoa, hey!" Another douchebag patron called as he walked up defensively, clearly friends with the first douche. 

The rest of the guys came up behind Jimmy and Johnny to show the two guys who they were up against.

Aubrey felt Valary grab her arm and pull her away from the developing scene, knowing exactly how these things usually played out, knowing they needed to move away in case things got ugly.

"Be careful," Douche Two mocked. "Don't wanna scuff your leather boots or smudge your eyeliner, do you?" 

Jimmy cackled, actually thinking his comment was funny because it was so clearly the cliché thing to say.

"Good one, dickhead," Matt mocked. "Haven't heard that one before." 

"Not worth your time, Drew," Douche Two said to Douche One. "Them or the girls."

"Fuckin' sluts," Douche One spat at Aubrey and Valary.

At those words, Brian instantly saw red. In a flash of involuntary movement, he stepped in front of Jimmy and threw his fist into the douche's jaw, sending him backwards into his friend and stumbling to the floor. A few people in the bar gasped.

Before anyone else could raise a fist, the bartender shouted, "Hey! Throw another punch and I call the police!"

"Guys, let's go," Valary pleaded, not wanting to have to bail any of them out of jail despite having done it numerous times before.

Douche Two helped Douche One to his feet as he wiped his bleeding lip with the back of his hand.

"When a girl says no, she means **no**," Brian stressed, staring them down as he moved toward the exit.

The rest of the guys followed suit, being overtly macho and eyeing the two douches as they left the bar. 

"What a piece of shit," Matt grumbled as they moved through the parking lot.

"Future rapist," Johnny added.

"No, those guys have **for sure** sexually assaulted women before," Jimmy insisted as they all climbed into the big SUV.

Zacky was the DD for the day, too hungover to even think about alcohol, so he jumped into the driver's seat.

"You ladies okay?" Matt asked, despite knowing they were physically fine.

"All good," Val answered.

"Totally okay. Thanks for sticking up for us though," Aubrey mentioned to the guys. Although it was really unnecessary and troublesome, she truly appreciated the guys for having her back. It felt really nice and comforting to know that they would look out for her like that. And she had never felt safer.

"That's what they do," Val smiled, proud of her friends for having such good hearts.

"For you, yeah," Aubrey continued, wanting them to understand her appreciation. "But I never had that before. It was nice to have a biker gang my corner. So thank y'all."

They all chuckled at her biker gang comment, but Brian was smiling at her use of the word 'y'all' again. He couldn't understand why it was such a turn on for him. Not to mention she was still snuggled up in his jacket.

"Dude, just like Jimmy said, you're family now," Johnny replied. "Of course we're gonna stick up for you."

"Seriously," Matt reiterated. "If you become a part of the Avenged Sevenfold family, you're family for life. We'll always have your back."

Val smiled at her, understanding the comforting feeling of having five tough guys looking out for you at all times. It was something she never took for granted.

"Just wish I could've hit him one more time before we left," Brian fussed. "Guys like that shouldn't be allowed near women."

"Douchebags are drawn to hot chicks, dude," Johnny explained. "Just look at Matt and Val."

Everyone laughed, even Val and Matt, who shook his head too.

"You're awfully quiet up there, Zack," Matt pointed out. "You okay?"

"Just trying not to puke," he answered seriously as he watched the road ahead of them. "If that dick would've swung at me, I definitely would've vomited all over him."

"Should've done it anyway," Jimmy encouraged.

The entire car laughed and agreed.

"For Val and Aubrey, I would have," Zack said sweetly.

Aubrey smiled, her heart full. She never had such loyal and caring friends like these six beautiful people before and she cherished them greatly. She only wished their friendships would continue after the tour was over.


	7. Chapter 7

The next day, the bus barreled down the road, bringing the band and the girls to their next destination. In the front lounge, gunshots and shouting blared from the television on the wall as Matt and Zack battled each other on a video game. Johnny and Jimmy cheered on Matt, the undefeated champion of the game so far, fighting over who got to take the next shot at beating him. Val watched from the side, replying to emails from promoters, smiling softly at the comradery beside her.

They thought Aubrey was napping in her bunk. They thought Brian was editing some rough demos of new songs. They were wrong. And completely unaware of the scene unfolding in the back lounge.

Apparently Brian and Aubrey were feeling daring and risky that day, because they were groping each other like teenagers in the back lounge with their oblivious friends merely twenty feet away. The door to the bunks was open, the door to the back lounge was open; the only thing keeping them hidden was the wall they were leaning up against.

The sounds from the video game masked their heaving breathing, his grunts, and her moans. His mouth found hers, desperately latching on in a hurried kiss. He gripped her side with one hand, yanking her hips to his crudely while his other hand reached up under her shirt, squeezing her breasts through her bra. He nudged his knee between her legs and she clutched the waistband of his pants, her forefingers brushing the hair-lined, v-shaped trail that led his abs to his manhood. She instinctively humped his thigh, seeking relief from the sexual frustration that Brian seemed to constantly, almost permanently, instill in her. 

When she ran her hand down his zipper, caressing the bulge in his pants, he grunted, his hips bucked involuntarily. 

"I want you so bad right now," he muttered quietly against her mouth.

"Yeah?" She asked sexily.

"Yeah," he breathed.

"Take me," she dared.

He jerked his hips into hers again, covering her lips with his, sliding his tongue in her mouth. She bit his bottom lip gently, tugging on it erotically. 

"THAT'S NOT FAIR," Johnny screeched from the front lounge. "I CALLED NEXT!"

"FUCK YOU, YOU SHORT WHINEY PISS-BITCH," Jimmy shouted back at him. 

Johnny replied with something quieter and unintelligible.

"HERE, TAKE IT!" Jimmy yelled in response. "JESUS, I CAN SMELL YOUR PUSSY FROM HERE!" 

Brian couldn't help but pause as Jimmy's hilarious taunts had caught his ear. He felt Aubrey smile against his mouth. Seconds later, they were both cackling. 

"We gotta stop before we get busted," Aubrey said once their laughter had died down. 

"I know," he agreed but then he cupped her face under her ears and continued to kiss her lips softly and sweetly, not actually wanting to stop yet. He slid his tongue into her mouth again, tasting her whispered moans.

It was obvious to her that he was not going to stop by his own free will, so she pulled away a little and requested, "Hey, can I hear that new song you've been working on?"

He pulled back even further and looked in her eyes, seemingly surprised. "You wanna hear the song I've been working on?"

"Yeah," she replied with a nod and a soft smile.

He smiled at her gently then moved away from her.

They knew they needed to separate themselves in order to keep their hands off of each other, so Aubrey sat on one end of the long U-shaped couch facing Brian, who sat on the other end. He opened his computer and clicked around a few times. Just as the song began playing, Jimmy appeared in the doorway unannounced and unheard. 

"I thought you were sleeping," he greeted Aubrey.

She looked over at him, silently thankful that she pushed for them to stop making out when she did. "Who the hell can sleep around here with all your yelling and bitching?" She retorted, trying to deflect.

Brian smirked, enjoying her quick comeback.

Without another word, Jimmy moved over to her and flopped on top of her wildly like a bull in a china shop, covering her entirely from Brian's view.

"Have you seen our sixth gang member, Synyster Gates?" Jimmy played with an animated voice. "She goes by the name AC Black - AC stands for Asslicker Cockmonkey. She's a short, sassy, money-laundering criminal, and I want to kick her ASS!"

Brian chuckled and shook his head. Aubrey grunted and gave a few good attempts at shoving Jimmy off of her but he was too tall and too strong. Eventually he relented, sliding off of her lap and onto the couch beside her. He glanced over at her quickly and gasped, feigning surprise.

  
"There you are!" He cheered with a smartass smirk.

She flipped him off.

"Very original, my friend," he teased then turned to Brian. "Are you playing your new song for her?"

"I was trying to before you rudely interrupted," Brian replied.

"Jeez. So much sass in the back lounge today," Jimmy scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest. "Play the damn song again."

Brian started the song over. Aubrey listened closely, appreciating the impressive guitar riffs that blared through the speakers. More so, she adored the commentary that followed from the two bandmates about this guitar riff and that guitar solo and this potential drum fill and that potential double bass part.

She had never been so surrounded by music before and it gave her a new appreciation for the field. She never knew about the intricacies that went into writing and recording songs and she certainly never saw the process in person. It was interesting and brought a whole new perspective to their career. They were so much more than just rock stars. 

Ø

"Really, Val?" Johnny spat rhetorically, looking out the window, as the bus came to a halt in the parking lot of a hotel. "We're stopping in this boring ass town? What kind of tour manager are you?"

"One who plans the travel according to schedule, not according to how much fun Johnny will have," she retorted.

Some days, the tour landed in a boring city, too far away from a big city to go exploring. They stopped in this particular town in order to get a good night's rest in a hotel room as opposed to a bunk, despite the fact that there wasn't much else to do in the area.

"No show tonight," Matt reminded them as they gathered to exit the bus. "I'm getting as drunk as I possibly can without dying." 

Valary rolled her eyes. Jimmy high-fived him.

"I did choose a hotel with an actual hotel bar," Val informed them, stepping off of the bus. "So. You're welcome."

"Thanks, Mom!" Jimmy shouted, per usual.

Inside the hotel, everyone checked into their rooms then booked it downstairs. 

Situated across from the elevators, with its floor to ceiling windows, the bar was waiting for them once those elevator double doors opened. Though it was small, it was an actual bar with an actual bartender who was actually social and made drinks that were actually tasty. It was fairly lavish for its size - there was a small baby grand piano off to the side and the barstools had plush seats. The lighting was dim but appropriate and gentle jazz music played in the background.

Within minutes of their arrival, they had infiltrated and taken over the hotel bar. 

"Irish Car Bombs, anyone?" Jimmy offered sarcastically as he took a seat next to Brian. "Who's gonna let Val and AC drink them under the table this time?"

Aubrey laughed as she sat beside Jimmy.

"Not me," Johnny answered with a groan, recalling the last time the girls put him to shame. He attempted to sit down beside Aubrey but Val shoved him, causing him to stumble.

"Move, I'm sitting by AC," she said. "Us girls have to stick together."

Johnny rolled his eyes and tried to sit next to Val but was shoved again, this time by Matt.

"And I'm sitting by Val," he told Johnny. "Move it."

Johnny flipped him off and went to sit in the next stool. He paused and cautiously turned to Zack, who was behind him. Silently and with a smart-ass look on his face, he motioned to the stool to offer it to him before he got shoved again. 

Zack laughed and shook his head. "Have a seat, Seward."

"Thank you, Zachary," Johnny quipped as he climbed onto the stool. "Damn these seats feel incredible under my ass." 

"Welcome, welcome," the bartender greeted as Zack took the final seat. He was a very attractive man, probably in his late-thirties with a thick beard and his dark hair, already lightly dusted with silver hairs, was slicked-back pompadour style. "What can I get for you guys?"

"A fuck ton of beer," Jimmy stated simply.

The bartender laughed, a good sign that he wouldn't hate serving this brash group of friends. "Any specific beer?"

"Eh, a dark beer on tap," Jimmy continued. "Surprise me."

The bartender nodded then retrieved a glass. "Anyone else?"

"Yep. Make that two dark beers on tap," Brian added.

"Three!" Matt chimed in, holding up a finger.

"I want a Long Island," Johnny disrupted.

"Jack and Coke," Zack ordered. "On the rocks."

"And for the ladies?" The bartender wondered, smiling at Aubrey.

"Moscow Mule," She ordered.

"Ooh, yum," Valary commented. "Make that two."

"Alright, three dark beers on tap, two Moscow Mules, a Long Island Iced Tea, and Jack and Coke on the rocks?" The bartender repeated.

"Damn, you're good!" Valary commended.

As soon as their drinks hit the counter, the fun began. Luckily, thanks to the small town, the early hour, and the lack of seasonal visitors, the hotel and bar were mostly empty and all the unabashed antics went largely unnoticed. Except by the bartender, who actually seemed to appreciate and enjoy the group, laughing at their adventures and refilling their drinks without hesitation. He even brought out a deck of cards, encouraging Johnny and Matt to play different drinking games. 

Jimmy ended up at the piano, playing various songs while Valary sat next to him singing along with her copper mug in her hand.

Zack and Brian sat at the end of the bar, watching a sports game without audio on the TV behind the bartender, having absolutely no loyalty to either team and simply rooting for opposite teams in competition to beat each other at **something**. Winner has to play the next show in his underwear. Aubrey secretly hoped Brian would lose.

Aubrey sat at the bar, working on her second drink, reveling in the people around her. She watched a little bit of Johnny and Matt as they flipped over card after card, playing a twisted game of Battle and chugging their beers. She watched Jimmy as he played the piano flawlessly despite his increasing intoxication and Val as she sang melodies with a beautifully floating voice. And she watched Zack as he shoved Brian off of the barstool when his team scored a touchdown.

This group of people had known each other their whole lives, had memories upon memories together, and were so close-knit and loyal that they were all seemingly blood-related. And without hesitation, they welcomed her into their group, making her feel like she had been on their team since day one. 

This life was so vastly different than the life she had been living, yet she never felt like an outcast; she never felt out of the loop. She felt like she **belonged** there, in a small hotel bar, in a boring little town, fresh off a cramped tour bus, with this wild bunch of lively humans who had become so important to her in such a short period of time.

"What's the story here?" The bartender asked Aubrey. "How'd you guys end up in this town?"

"The guys are all in a band," she explained. "On tour, just passing through. They don't have a show tonight so we stopped to get a good night's sleep in a real bed for once."

"Ah," the bartender acknowledged. "I see. And you and the blonde? Girlfriends?"

"She is," Aubrey spoke of Val. "She's dating the front-man, the one playing cards with the dark hair. But she's their tour manager also."

"And you?" He wondered.

"I sell and manage their merchandise," she answered, realizing that she was no longer just helping the manager, she _was_ the manager.

"Not dating any of them? You chose to do this on your own?" He asked with a laugh.

"Not dating any of them," she confirmed, as it was the truth. "I actually came on tour to help their original merch guy, but he had to leave the tour two days in, so I had to take over. Even though I didn't necessarily **choose** this exact role, I'm loving it."

"I gotta say," the bartender began, "that's not the story I usually hear around here. But it's a good one."

She smiled at him.

"I'm Jake," he told her, extending his hand over the bar counter to her. 

She shook it. "Aubrey."

"Where are you guys from?" Jake asked.

"I live in Phoenix but everyone one else is from Orange County, California," she answered. 

Out of nowhere, Jimmy hopped into the barstool beside Aubrey. "Who's from Orange County?" He wondered.

"You are," she said with a laugh.

"You're fuckin' right I am," Jimmy replied then turned to the bartender. "Can I get another, my man?"

"You got it," Jake said, grabbing another glass and filling it with a malty dark beer.

Suddenly, Jimmy froze and his body tensed. Aubrey noticed the change in his disposition and glanced over at him. He had a pained look on his face.

"What's wrong?" She wondered.

He shook his head quickly.

"Are you okay?" She asked, unsure.

Again, he shook his head.

"You're freaking me out," she told him. "What's wrong?"

He leaned in to whisper something discreetly in her ear. "I am holding in the biggest fucking turd I've ever had to shit out in my life."

A loud explosion of laughter escaped her lips. She hadn't been expecting such a response and was doubly relieved that his pain wasn't anything life-threatening.

"No, I'm serious. If I sneeze, it's game over for these pants. And for probably everyone in the bar too," Jimmy expressed.

The tall lanky drummer was rarely ever serious, but leave it to him to still be funny and ludicrous even when he's trying to be serious. 

"Please don't sneeze," Aubrey encouraged. "But if you do, I'm here for you."

He nodded in appreciation then jumped back off the stool once a full beer glass was set down in front of him.

"So you're in town for the night, yeah?" Jake asked her, resuming their conversation when Jimmy left.

She nodded her head and smiled, sipping her drink. 

"I get off around midnight. I know that's late for dinner but maybe you'd join me for a late-night coffee? Or hell, even a nightcap in the bar?" He suggested casually.

She tilted her head a little, fairly surprised by his request. She couldn't help the smile that graced her lips.

"If you're feeling up for it," he added. "I know that's kind of late."

She weighed her options quickly. She was only in town for one night, and he knew that, so she wouldn't be so naive to think it would be anything more than a one-night stand. And judging by her history, she clearly wasn't opposed to those. But she was still hesitant.

As far as she could tell, Brian hadn't slept with anyone else this whole tour, and she was fairly confident that was a true fact. Even though she was not tied down by him, and he was not tied down by her, she still felt a sense of loyalty to him. And she wasn't even sure if she _wanted_ to sleep with someone other than Brian - why the hell would she when he made her feel **so good** every damn time?

"Is it okay if I let you know later?" She asked. "I'm already feeling a little tipsy so I'd feel terrible if I agreed then passed out drunk in my room." She laughed a little.

"By all means," he agreed with a nod. "No pressure."

She could tell he meant it. He seemed like a nice guy, probably wanting a good conversation and a fun time in bed. And she would probably enjoy the same, if the circumstances were just a tad different.

"You want another one?" He asked, nodding to her empty copper mug, not seemingly thrown off by her partial rejection.

"Sure," she agreed with a smile.

He brought her another drink in a copper mug and set it down in front of her. "So what do you do back in Phoenix?"

She laughed softly. "Nothing anymore. I quit my job on a whim then impulse-decided to go on this tour."

"Damn," he commended. "You're quite the risk taker, huh?"

She shrugged. "Not typically. But so far, it has worked out quite well for me."

He smiled softly at her. 

She wondered if she was really going to sleep with him. Her gut said she wouldn't. However, he seemed like a nice enough guy. 

But did being _nice enough_ turn her on? Make her moan? Make her come?

No. It didn't.

Brian, on the other hand, did.

A part of her felt like she had something to prove. Sleeping with Jake would be proof that she and Brian were _just_ sleeping together, that she didn't feel loyal to him, that she could sleep with other guys and enjoy it and not feel guilty. But the truth was, she didn't want to prove any of that. 

"Hey, where the fuck did Jimmy go?" Matt asked out loud as he and Val walked over to the bar.

Aubrey glanced around, noticing that everyone else was quickly scanning the room as well. He wasn't sitting at the piano. He wasn't at any of the tables or booths. He wasn't _under_ any of the tables or booths. 

Suddenly, they all realized that no one had seen him in a while.

As if he could read all of their minds, Jimmy emerged from the bathroom with wide eyes. "Do not go in there unless you have some sort of fucking death wish."

Everyone broke out into laughter at his warning. 

Even Jake let out a hearty chuckle, shaking his head. "You're paying for the damages if we have to get a crime scene unit down here," he warned playfully.

Jimmy pointed to him, clicking his tongue as a deal, then joined his friends at the bar. He ordered another beer then spun around on his barstool, watching as Johnny stood behind Zack and Brian, getting in on their sporting game bets. He was scheming, it was obvious by the look on his face.

When his next beer arrived, he quickly chugged it, nearly inhaling the dark liquid in a matter of seconds. With a huge exhale, he set the glass back on the bar then stood up.

"Watch this," he said to Val and Aubrey then took off toward Johnny. Without holding back, he smacked into his bandmate and tackled him straight to the ground.

"Get the fuck off me, you maniac," Johnny shouted, kicking his leg in Jimmy's direction.

Jimmy rolled off of him and, in one swift movement, kicked his legs upward and flipped into an upright position then stood up, mimicking a kip up move.

"What are you, Jackie Chan?" Johnny retorted.

Jimmy took a bow then shouted for another beer, making the bartender and all of his friends laugh.

Jake winked at Aubrey as he reached for another glass to fill for Jimmy. And she knew, right then and there, that she had to make a decision. Would she spend a night with Jake, looking for something to prove, or would she accept her situation for what it was, giving in to her loyalty to Brian?


	8. Chapter 8

"You're freaking me out," Aubrey's concerned voice caught Brian's attention. "What's wrong?"

He quickly ignored the shit-talk that Zack was spewing beside him and glanced over at Aubrey. She was sitting next to Jimmy, who was wide-eyed and tense. Brian watched as he leaned over and whispered something into her ear.

She immediately let out booming laughter. Despite not knowing what his best friend told her, Brian felt relief, figuring nothing was wrong and Jimmy was just acting a fool with her.

For a brief moment, Brian went back to watching the intense football game happening on the big TV in front of him. Zack's team was winning, by a long shot, and Brian was well on his way to playing their next show in his underwear. He thought about ways he could bargain with Zack to where he'd only have to play one **song** in his underwear. But his thoughts were immediately interrupted by the bartender's voice.

_"So you're in town for the night, yeah?"_

Brian froze, immediately recognizing the intention in the man's voice. The words rang in his ears like an alarm. Was he talking to Aubrey? He refused to turn and look, but out of his peripheral vision, it appeared as if Aubrey was the only one sitting there. 

_"I get off around midnight. I know that's late for dinner but maybe you'd join me for a late-night coffee? Or hell, even a nightcap in the bar?"_

What the fuck? Is he hitting on her? Brian's arm muscles flexed as his hand tightened around his drink glass. Did this prick even know her name?

_"If you're feeling up for it. I know that's kind of late." _

Aubrey hadn't responded vocally at this point, which Brian took as a sign that she was going to reject him.

_"Is it okay if I let you know later?"_ Aubrey's sweet voice finally appeared. _"I'm already feeling a little tipsy so I'd feel terrible if I agreed then passed out drunk in my room."_ She chuckled softly.

Brian was surprised by her response, but even more surprised by the way her words hit him in the chest. Sure, she wasn't his girlfriend, but damn, he didn't think she was the type of person to just sleep with a random person.

But then again, at the beginning of the tour, _he_ was a random person too.

_"No pressure,"_ the bartender reassured. 

Brian rolled his eyes, feeling his blood pressure rise. 

First, this dick was pining on Aubrey - why can't the poor girl just have a drink and a conversation at a bar without some asshole hitting on her? Second, Aubrey didn't turn the bartender down, and that made him feel weird. Weird because he was jealous, and that made him feel weirder, because why was he jealous? Aubrey wasn't his girlfriend. He had no claim on her. Hell, no one even knew they were sleeping together. 

Ah, a light bulb went off in Brian's mind. 

Sure, she didn't reject him, _but_ she didn't agree either. And maybe, just _maaaybe_, she wasn't planning on sleeping with him but didn't reject him because it might seem suspicious? Because why wouldn't she sleep with an attractive guy who she would probably never see again? Maybe it was her way of playing it off.

The thought eased Brian's mind a little.

Jimmy started causing a ruckus in the bar, per usual, but once he quieted down, Brian went right back to eavesdropping on the conversation between Aubrey and the bartender. Though he stared at the football game on the TV, he wasn't paying a lick of attention. Because each time Aubrey giggled at something the bartender said, Brian's saw red and gripped his glass tighter; his light bulb explanation seemed more and more wrong as he listened to them converse. He listened to her explain how she hadn't been getting along with her snobby friends for a while then she lost her dog and quit her job and ended up on this tour. He listened to the bartender, _Jake_, express his sympathy and console her.

"What kind of dog did you have?" Jake asked her.

Damn. Brian had never even thought to ask her about her dog. He didn't want to bring it up, he didn't want to upset her, but shit, maybe she **wanted** to talk about her dog.

"A golden retriever," Aubrey sighed. 

"No way," Jake replied. "I just got a golden retriever puppy!"

"Fuck," Brian cursed quietly under his breath as he watched, out of his blurry peripheral, as Jake pulled out his phone and showed Aubrey a picture.

"Her name's Stella," Jake told her.

"Aww, Jake," Aubrey cooed. "She's beautiful!" 

Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck. Of course he has a fucking puppy. Girls **love** puppies. 

Alright, Brian decided, as soon as he gets home from tour, he's get a fucking puppy. 

But for now, he needed to do something about Aubrey and the bartender. Something. Anything. 

"Dude, your knuckles are turning white," Zack pointed out, glancing down at Brian's hand that was still clutching his drink. "You don't have to play the whole set in your underwear, just like a song or something. Jeez."

Brian glanced over at his bandmate; he had nearly forgotten he was even sitting right there, forgotten about the game, forgotten about playing a set in his underwear. Well - at least that part was taken care of...

He glanced at the TV. His team had lost. He had officially lost a bet to Zack. And he had officially lost his mind to Aubrey.

Blinking a few times, Brian snapped out of it. He relaxed his grip on his glass. He wasn't going to listen to any more of their conversation. He _wasn't_ going to get a dog. He _wasn't_ going to do anything about the bartender. 

He had no right to be upset about the predicament, despite the fact that it did sting for some reason. He had never tried to woo Aubrey, never tried to win her over, except in bed. 

Besides, she was a grown ass woman. And she did _not _belong to him.

Ø

That night, the adjoining door that connected Zack and Johnny's hotel room to Jimmy and Brian's room was open wide. Valary had stepped out into the hall way to make a few phone calls while Jimmy and Brian were in their room, being suspiciously quiet, and Johnny and Zack were in their room with Aubrey and Matt, battling in an intense game of drunkenly flicking rubber bands at each other's faces and laughing hysterically at the red welts they were causing.

"That one," Matt laughed hard, clutching his stomach and panting to catch his breath. "It looks like a dick."

Johnny wheezed as he chortled and pointed to the phallic mark on Zack's cheek.

Despite being the butt of the joke, Zacky laughed so hard his eyes were watering.

A second later, another rubber band went flying, nearly grazing Aubrey's cheek. She flinched hard and jumped out of the way. 

"Someone's gonna lose an eye," she warned with a laugh as she darted to the adjoining door. "And it's not gonna be me!" 

Despite laughing about the situation, she quickly ducked out into Brian and Jimmy's room to hide and found them sitting on each of their beds, sharing a thick joint.

"Oh, that's why you two are being so quiet in here," she pointed out. "Busted."

"Shh," Brian encouraged but waved her over. She joined him on his bed, crossing her legs as she sat next to him.

Jimmy inhaled a long drag of the cigarette and quickly handed it to Brian. Within seconds, Jimmy had a minor coughing fit and exhaled swirls of smoke from his mouth and nose. 

Brian took a small hit then lifted it in Aubrey's direction, offering it to her. She took it from him and placed the end between her lips. Brian watched as she puffed on it slowly. God, everything she did was attractive to him. Even smoking. 

They continued taking turns, sharing the blunt until it was small and ineffective and their eyes were glassy.

Aubrey laid back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling with red-rimmed eyes. With her inhibitions gone, relaxation took over her body. She felt peaceful and content. Obviously thanks to the weed, but she reveled in it for a moment, thankful for every life decision that she made that brought her to this exact moment.

Jimmy snorted laughing out of nowhere. "I called you a cockmonkey this morning, AC."

"And an asslicker," she reminded him with a laugh, still looking at the ceiling.

He laughed harder. "An asslicker cockmonkey."

She continued giggling, which made Brian chuckle, which built and built until the three of them were doubled over in laughter. 

"Surprisingly, I've been called worse," she said through her laughs.

"No!" Jimmy gasped. "Who the fuck called you something nasty?" 

"You did!" Brian pointed out, still laughing.

"Shit," Jimmy smacked his forehead. "I love you, AC - you know that, right?"

"I do," she confirmed, her laughter dying down. "I love you too."

"Now who called you nasty names?" Jimmy pressed. "I'll fuckin' kill them."

She was still gazing up at the ceiling, seemingly spaced out. "I just have some shitty friends back home." 

Brian turned to look at her. She looked sad, or maybe that was just how she looked when she was high, but he wanted to hug her. Or kiss her. Or touch her. Or all of the above all at once.

"Well, fuck them," Jimmy countered. "You got us now. You don't need anyone else."

Brian could see a smile twitching at the corner of her lips; he could tell Jimmy's words had warmed her heart. His best friend was good at stuff like that. Brian, on the other hand, not so much.

A few seconds later, she sat up in bed, drunk and high and swaying a little as she tried to stand.

"Where are you going?" Brian asked quickly, immediately stricken with panic and paranoia over the thought of her leaving to find Jake. It wasn't quite midnight yet, but maybe she was going to wait for him in the bar.

"To find a vending machine," she announced. "I need snacks."

"Me too," Brian added, standing a little too hastily, wondering if she was lying, wondering why the hell he suddenly cared so much again. 

A singular rubber band flew into the room through the adjoining door, landing on Jimmy's bed beside him. He looked down at it, furrowing his brow.

"You guys saw that too, right?" Jimmy asked. "I know I'm not _that_ high."

Aubrey laughed. "Yes, I saw it. They found a fuck ton of rubber bands and have been shooting them at each other's faces for about forty-five minutes now."

"Well," Jimmy began as he stood. He walked over to the adjoining door and lifted his foot karate-style then kicked it shut. It slammed with a booming thud. "Fuck them." He turned back around and stalked over to his bed then flopped back on it. "I'm going to sleep so you guys can fuck off too."

"Goodnight," Aubrey laughed as she made her way over to the room entrance. Brian followed close behind.

They were silent as they stepped into the elevator. Aubrey leaned up against the wall for support as Brian pressed the button for the first floor.

He wanted so badly to say something - anything - to get her to change her mind about meeting up with Jake. But she would ask why he cared so much and he wouldn't know what to say because he didn't know the answer himself.

From inside the bar, Jake watched through the tall glass windows as the elevator opened to reveal Aubrey with one of the guys in the band. They were stumbling as they stepped out and began searching for something unknown to him. He smiled to himself, knowing she would probably end up bailing on him later judging from her physical state at the moment. He supplied the drinks so he could only blame himself.

Brian glanced up for a moment and saw Jake behind the bar. He was looking at Aubrey and smiling softly. And it made him cringe. He had to look away. Because all he could think about was Aubrey tangled in Jake's sheets.

When they found the vending machines, Aubrey scanned the contents like a deer in headlights. Everything looked so damn tasty.

Brian stood behind her, looking at the back of her head, still wanting to say something. But he couldn't bring himself to do it. So instead of saying something, he **did** something. Since they were closed off from the lobby, he moved closer and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. 

"I don't know what to get," Aubrey grumbled. "I want it all."

He didn't reply. Instead, he turned his head toward her and began placing soft kisses along her neck, trailing from the crook of her neck to just behind her ear. He inhaled her sweet scent; it only added to his euphoric state. 

It was probably manipulative and probably fucked up, but he had to make sure that she would be naked under _him _that night, screaming _his_ name. He had to make sure that _he_ was the one who fucked her, that _he_ was the one who made her come.

"Do you..." She trailed, distracted by him nibbling on her earlobe.

"Hm?" He hummed into her ear.

"Do you want anything?" She managed to croak out.

"Just you," he whispered.

She dropped her head back onto his shoulder and he sucked on the delicate skin of her neck. When he pushed his hips into her ass, she sighed.

"Okay, I don't care about food anymore," she told him as she turned around and looked him dead in the eyes. "Take me upstairs."

He nodded then grabbed her hand and began to pull her away but she resisted. When he turned to look back at her with his bloodshot eyes, she was swaying even though she wasn't moving.

"Everything is spinning," she explained.

He laughed but felt guilty. He shouldn't be making moves on her if she was too disoriented to even walk. Maybe he'd back off and just bring her upstairs to make sure that Jake didn't try to take advantage of her. "I haven't seen you this fucked up all tour. Are you sure you want to go upstairs?"

"Yes," she answered without hesitation. "Just give me a second to remember how to walk."

Brian smiled at her adorableness. "Here," he said as he turned around and crouched down. "I'll bring you upstairs."

"Okay," she agreed, nodding. She wrapped her arms around Brian's shoulders and as she hoisted herself up onto his back, he hooked his arms under her knees to secure her.

"Okay, let's go," he announced unnecessarily as he began walking back toward the lobby. 

Again, Jake watched as Aubrey reappeared with the band guy. She was on his back, clutching his chest and resting her head against his, as they stumbled to the elevators. It was hard to tell from where he was standing, but it almost looked like she was whispering something to him. Or kissing his ear.

When the elevator doors opened, the guy stumbled inside and turned to press the button for their floor. Aubrey slid off of his back, still hidden behind him. Jake watched as the guy turned around, backing her up against the wall. It looked like he was kissing her, but again, it was hard to tell exactly what was happening. That is, until the elevator doors begin to shut, because just before they did, he saw Aubrey snaking her arms up the guy's back and tangling her fingers into his dark black hair. They were definitely kissing. And she was definitely not meeting him for coffee later.

Brian's intentions of keeping his hands to himself had flown out the window once Aubrey started whispering dirty things into his ear as he carried her to the elevator. Coherent and alert and begging him to fuck her, she was clearly in a rational state of mind. 

By the time they had reached Aubrey's room, she and Brian were yanking at each other's clothes, undressing each other before the door had even shut behind them. As soon as they were shielded by a closed door, they moved frantically to finish taking off each other's clothes. 

His shirt, her pants. His jeans, her panties. His underwear, her shirt and bra. Fully naked in what seemed like record time, he carefully guided her to the bed as he attacked her mouth with his own, kissing her desperately and feverishly. 

The bartender no longer existed in Brian's mind. He was focused on Aubrey and only Aubrey.

He grabbed a condom out of his wallet and tossed it onto the bed then moved over her, pressing small kisses where her hipbones protruded beneath her skin, loving the little bulge they made. He used two fingers to spread her lips then ran his tongue over her warm, wet clit. She was so ready for him, she didn't need any additional arousal, but he wanted to taste her. She shuddered, arching her back as he continued licking, kissing, and sucking on her plump, pink bud.

"Ohmygod," she moaned, running her hands through his hair, holding him between her thighs.

"Mm," he hummed against her core, sending mini vibrations throughout her body. She tasted better than he imagined and he could've ate her out for days, but he didn't want her to come yet. Not until he was inside of her.

He pulled back with a smacking sound then continued kissing up her stomach, doting on the little protrusions from her ribcage next. He moved up to her chest, and she ran a hand through his hair and down the back of his head as she watched him kiss between her breasts. 

When he glanced up and looked at her, he realized she still looked a little dizzy.

"You sure you're okay?" He asked sweetly.

She nodded, smiling softly. "Just go easy on me."

"Don't I always?" 

She nodded again and pulled him down to make him kiss her, tasting herself on his lips as he nestled between her legs. She could feel his bare warmth against her core. It made her shiver with desire. She wanted him just like that.

He ripped the foil packet open with his teeth but when he took the condom out to roll it on, she grabbed his wrist, stopping him. He gave her a confused look.

"I don't want to use a condom," she breathed.

He stared into her eyes. She was serious. She was also fucked up.

"Baby..." he trailed cautiously and uncertain. 

"I'm clean and on the pill," she promised. "You're clean?"

He nodded gently, still not convinced. "I always use condoms and get tested before each tour. But..." He really didn't have a good argument, but he had never barebacked before. Never. 

"I just..." she sighed. "I can feel you right there; it's killing me." She rocked her hips, nudging the tip of his head up against her wetness. "I just know it'll feel so good without one."

Involuntarily, his hips jerked at her comment, which made his throbbing head push just ever so slightly into her. He winced at how amazing just that little bit felt.

"It's okay if you don't want to," she relented. "I don't want you to do anything you aren't comfortable with." 

He stared into her forgiving dilated eyes. He could trust this girl with his life and he knew it. No matter what bullshit he tried to tell himself about how casual they were, if there was ever a girl to forgo a condom for, it was her. And he knew he would never regret it.

In one swift movement, he threw the condom over his shoulder. She chuckled and the sound of her laughter struck him straight in his groin.

"Are you sure?" She asked. 

"More sure than I've ever been in my life," he said as he slowly pushed inside of her.

Their eyes remain locked as she took every inch of him, stretching around him, clenching him tight between her legs. She was so slick and ready for him, he slid in with no friction other than her tightness. She whimpered, overwhelmed by the sensation - it felt even better than she expected. She could feel his pulse against her inner walls. 

His jaw clenched and his brow furrowed. She loved the pained look on his face that he made anytime something felt so good that it almost hurt.

"Fuck," he breathed once he was fully within her. "I can't see straight." He had never felt anything like this before. He could feel every inch of her, every nerve, every fiber of her being. He was connected to her in a way he never thought possible. He was never going to come back from this. 

He moved his hips, pulling out and sliding back in, thrusting cautiously into her. Her hands slid up his arms, gripping his biceps, feeling the flexed muscles beneath her fingers, beneath the colorful tattoos on his skin. 

When his thrusts found a steady pace, Aubrey began rolling her hips to meet his. His mouth fell open and his eyes rolled into the back of his head when he felt her working her sex on his.

"Don't do that," he grunted roughly, gripping her hip with one hand, his favorite place to hold her steady. "I'll come too fast."

"I can't help it," she moaned, attempting to roll her hips again. "You feel so good."

He groaned at her words, and with his free hand, he laced their fingers together and brought their hands above her head as he continued to grip her hip. He kissed her as he began to thrust again. 

It was too much. Everything was too much. He could hardly handle it. Every nerve tingled. His heart raced. 

This beautiful girl, naked and sighing beneath him, was slowly but surely ruining him in the best way possible. And he was giving her his all without even realizing it.

He hovered over her, driving into her over and over again with so much force and so much meaning. She placed her free hand on his cheek, cupping it gently as she nibbled on his bottom lip, then wrapped her legs around his waist, giving him deeper access to her. 

He buried his face into her neck, trying to hold on to the little bit of composure that he had left. He kissed along her collarbone, breathing his hot breath onto her skin. She moaned and writhed under him, desperate to move her body with his. 

When he felt her toss her head back, he pushed up slightly, wanting to watch her come. Sure enough, her eyes were fluttering shut and her mouth was open and round. She was so close.

"Do you want me to pull out?" He asked softly, not wanting to cross that line without her permission. 

"No," she answered, shaking her head. "Come inside me." 

Those words shot a jolt of intense pleasure to his groin. His balls drew up tight; he never thought three simple words could push him so close to an orgasm. He pressed his forehead against hers, kissing her mouth as she began to moan and clutch his shoulders, clawing at the back of his neck.

In an instant, he felt her release, bucking her hips in rhythm with the waves of internal spasms that were milking his bare dick. And he came – hard. 

He groaned loudly, violently jerking his hips as he unloaded directly into her. Her blissful moans were tangling with his grunts as they kissed desperately and frantically while their orgasms rocked their bodies. 

Everything was intensified. The sights, the sounds, the feelings. And it was all perfect, suspended in time.

As their pleasure subsided, Brian relaxed on top of her, kissing along her jawline sweetly. From her ear to her chin to her lips, he planted soft kisses. Aubrey sighed with contentment as she stared at the ceiling and played with the hair on the back of his head, running her fingers through it. He stayed inside of her, well after his dick had softened, snuggling into her. 

They slowly came down from the sensual and drug induced highs then cleaned up and drifted off to sleep.

~

The early morning sun crackled through the blinds in layers, shining soft orange into the hotel room. The light slowly brought Brian out of his slumber. His head throbbed as he opened his eyes gently, absorbing his unfamiliar environment. 

As soon as he saw her, all of his pain dissipated into adoration. 

Aubrey's dark hair was tousled across her pillow, strands hanging down into her relaxed face. She inhaled and exhaled softly, still asleep. Her naked body was tangled in the sheets, bare skin visible from her mid-thigh to just under her breasts, exposing the bruises from his fingertips that dotted her hips.

Brian couldn't help but stare at her while she was in such a vulnerable and angelic state. And he couldn't stop himself from reaching forward to lightly trail his fingertips along her side. Down her hip, over the sprinkle of bruises, following the arch of her backside, then back to her waist and up her arm. Her skin was so soft, so immaculate, and so alluring. Seeing her like this brought on a whole new set of feelings that he wasn't expecting. He was literally and metaphorically seeing her in a new light. 

Sure, the first night they had sex, they spent the night together afterwards, but he was buzzing with adrenaline and honestly afraid to touch her again. He stayed so far away from her in the bed. 

But last night... they were wrapped around each other, tangled and intertwined, waking up numerous times throughout the night to copulate again and again. Hazy, slow, passionate, lazy sex all throughout the night. He didn't think he was in love with her, but damn he could get used to this shit.

Waking up to her was even better. Waking up to a beautiful naked girl with a heart of gold and an ass that could kill after having intense sex all night while on the biggest tour of his life doing what he loved for a living.

How the **fuck** did he get here? What the fuck did he do to deserve it all? Shit, he wondered if he was still high.

Her eyelashes began to flutter delicately. Brian, still softly running his fingertips up and down her skin, immediately appeared in her line of vision as her eyes focused, and a smile slowly spread across her face. Likewise, her smile made him smile.

"You have the softest skin I've ever felt," he whispered.

Her smile grew at his gentle words.

"How do you feel?" He asked.

"Hungover," she said softly, her voice hoarse and raspy and absolutely adorable to Brian.

He chuckled, removing his fingers from her skin. "I figured."

"I need a shower," she informed him. "Want to join?"

"You already know the answer to that," he replied with a wink.

Just the wink alone sent heat between her thighs. 

In the shower, hot water cascaded over Brian's head, weighing his dark hair down into his eyes. Aubrey stood behind him, stroking his thick cock with one hand and had the other splayed across his chest, holding him close to her. She planted soft kisses along his back where red, raised scratches were scattered across his neck and shoulders from her clawing nails. 

Once he was good and hard, he turned around and picked her up then pressed her up against the wall and slid into her. He had a taste of what it was like to screw her without a condom, and now he was ruined - he was never looking back. Not with her, at least.

He held both hands on her ass firmly then rested his head on her shoulder, his face buried into the crook of her neck as he pumped into her over and over again. She held the back of his head, her fingers tangled in his hair, wrapping her legs around his waist.

"God, you're incredible," Aubrey sighed into his ear.

Her words just encouraged him to drive deeper. 

He wanted to panic. He wanted to run. He had never slept with someone like this, never this consistently, never with this much emotion. And the feeling overwhelmed him. But he didn't panic; he didn't run. He just dwelled in it, memorizing every second, every touch, every moan, constantly unsure of how long this would last.

They came together, as they always did, then washed each other's bodies. 

Once they were dressed, Brian gave her a sweet kiss on the forehead then snuck out into the hallway and rushed downstairs where he met Valary, Matt, and Zack for breakfast.

"Ooh, you look happy this morning," Valary cooed as Brian sat down at their table with a big plate of complimentary breakfast. 

"You so got laid," Zack teased with a laugh.

"No way; you found a chick to bang last night?" Matt asked somewhat rhetorically.

Brian stayed quiet but he couldn't stop the smirk from gracing his face.

In response to his silent admission, Zack whistled and Val let out a loud "Woo!" 

"What the fuck are you idiots whooping about?" Johnny asked as he plopped down at the table with sunglasses on, clearly as hungover as the rest of them.

"Brian got laid last night," Matt informed him.

"The fuck?" Johnny asked with a wrinkled brow and a dumbfounded expression behind his sunglasses.

"How'd you even find her?" Matt asked. "Is she staying here?"

Brian shrugged as he started eating.

"Your chicks are like ninjas lately dude," Johnny pointed out. "What's going on? You're hardly even searching for girls, but when you do, you're stealthy about them. I never get to see them!"

Brian shrugged again. "It's called growing up, little Johnny. I don't want my dick to fall off from an excessive number of STDs, nor do I want Brian Haner the third running around on this planet just yet, so excuse me if I'm a little selective in who I bang nowadays."

Johnny rolled his eyes, clearly thrown off by his serious comeback. "Don't be such a fuckin' girl."

"Hey!" Val defended. "You're just mad cause you can only bang gross chicks who want to tattoo your name on their tits - stage five clingers."

Matt's brow rose and his eyes widened happily at his girlfriend's sudden hounding.

"Duuude," Zack laughed. "Val just roasted your ass."

Brian, amazed and impressed, grabbed Val's face and kissed her cheek. "And that is why I love you." 

She smiled proudly. Johnny flipped her off but stayed silent as he didn't have a comeback.

Brian ignored the rest of Johnny's commentary about other bullshit, consumed by his own thoughts. Because, suddenly, a part of him wanted to _thank_ Jake for hitting on Aubrey last night. It made Brian so determined to make Aubrey want to be in bed with _him_. And that's exactly what happened. And so much more. 

And although he initially felt conflicted about his reaction to the bartender, he was so fucking glad it happened. 

On the other side of the lobby, Aubrey discreetly made her way over to the hotel bar. In all honesty, before they had left the bar last night, she had pretty much already decided that she wouldn't meet up with Jake. Because all she could think about was Brian. 

And after they left the bar, meeting up with Jake didn't even cross her mind. Not once. Especially not after she was naked with Brian.

It was all for the best. But she wanted to apologize for being a total flake. She would likely never see him again, but he had been so sweet to her, the least she could do was apologize for never showing up.

As she entered the bar, she immediately saw Jake, who looked like he had just arrived for the day.

"Bars open early around here, huh?" She asked.

He glanced over at her. "A lot of people need a good drink after traveling, no matter what the hour is."

She smiled. "I can imagine." 

He returned a sweet smile.

She sighed. "I'm sorry about last night."

"Don't be," he insisted casually. "You were preoccupied."

She tilted her head to the side, not sure what he was implying. "What do you mean?"

"I saw you last night," he told her. "In the elevator. That was some piggy back ride, huh?"

"Oh." Her smile faltered, realizing what he was saying. She wasn't sure what to say. She felt like she had been caught deceiving him. "Brian and I are just... I wasn't lying when I said I wasn't dating any of them."

"I know," he smiled again, cutting her off so she wouldn't have to explain. "I get why you said what you said. I saw how different you acted when all your friends were around versus when it was just you two. I get it."

She nodded. "I shouldn't have led you to believe that there was a chance I'd meet you after midnight. I knew what you were asking of me, but deep down, I already knew whose bed I would end up in last night," she said, feeling somewhat embarrassed and disloyal to Brian for even considering the possibility of sleeping with Jake. 

"Don't worry about it," Jake insisted. "Seriously. Just protect your heart, okay? Secrets don't guard your heart as well as you think they do."

She nodded, his words resonating within her. It was uncomfortable to have an outsider know their secret, and as she turned and walked out, she felt different. She didn't know what had happened overnight, but **something** had changed.


	9. Chapter 9

Outside the parked tour bus, rain fell down in heavy sheets, audibly pummeling against the metal recreational vehicle. The occasional flash of lightning interrupted the otherwise dark sky, accompanied by a roaring clap of thunder. Inside the bus, the band and girls were trying to keep themselves busy, unable to venture out due to the rain and unwilling to drink thanks to the killer hangovers they all had from the previous night of partying.

"BOOM!" Johnny yelled as he tossed his pencil down. "Yahtzee, motherfuckers!"

"God dammit!" Jimmy shouted, banging his fist onto the table. "I hate playing board games with Johnny!"

"I swear he cheats," Val agreed, shaking her head.

Aubrey chuckled as she sat on the couch, reading a book and semi-watching Val, Johnny, and Jimmy play Yahtzee at the table beside her. Brian lounged on the couch across from her, drinking a beer and fiddling with his guitar, playing different scales and different riffs to warm up his fingers for their show in a couple hours. Matt and Zack were playing a video game on the other couch by the TV.

Suddenly, Aubrey's phone vibrated beside her. She glanced at the screen. It was a text from Brian. 

She looked over at him; half of his mouth was curved up in a subtle smirk.

She opened the text. **_You look so god damn sexy in that dress._**

She glanced down at her attire. She was wearing a light blue cotton t-shirt dress. It was short and fitted but otherwise very casual. Not what she would consider sexy. But she decided to go along with it anyway. 

**Oh yeah? **She texted back. **You like it?**

**_Fuck yeah I do._**He replied. **_I've been rock hard ever since you walked in._**

She glanced up at him. He moved his guitar off of his lap briefly to show her the straining bulge that left a delicious outline in his pants.

She smirked, suddenly having an idea, then texted: **Mmm. I bet you'll really like what I'm wearing underneath the dress then.**

** _...what are you wearing underneath that dress? _ **

Abruptly, Aubrey stood up without saying a word and disappeared into the bunk hallway. Brian took a sip of his beer and stared at her empty spot on the couch, confused, wondering if she wanted him to follow her. Surely she wasn't trying to romp around on the bus again, but why had she gotten up without another word?

Before he could text her to ask her where she went, she reemerged from the hallway and resumed her spot on the couch, as inconspicuous as ever. He mentally kicked himself for being so dramatic - she probably just went to the god damn bathroom. Then he received another text.

As he took another sip of his beer, he opened the message. His breath got caught in his throat at the sight of the text, and he immediately started choking on the beverage. Aubrey smirked smugly as she watched him sit up straight and move his guitar out of the way, trying to catch his breath as he coughed into his closed fist.

Johnny snorted at his bandmate as he glanced over at him. "Ha, I remember my first beer."

Brian flipped him off, still coughing.

"You okay, B?" Valary asked, looking over at him with concern.

He nodded and gave her a thumbs up, though he still coughed. The guys and Val were so blind, it almost made Brian laugh. Fucking idiots. So oblivious. It was almost fun to just keep them in the dark and laugh about how blind they are.

When his choking fit finally subsided, he went back to his phone, staring at a picture of Aubrey that she just took of herself in the back lounge mirror. Her dress was pulled up over her hips and her ass was visible as she stuck it out toward the mirror. She wasn't wearing any underwear.

He looked up at her, seeing her a bit differently this time. She was still smirking at him. 

He quickly texted: **_You're fuckin' killing me, babe._**

**Figured you'd like that ;)** she replied. 

Aubrey was totally wearing underwear. That dress was way too short for her to risk exposure by going commando. But for the sake of a good sexting, she removed them for the picture, knowing it would drive him absolutely wild to imagine her without underwear all day and all night.

He responded: **_I like it so much it damn near killed me. God I want to rip that dress off and fuck you six ways to Sunday. _**

As she read his text, she had to clench her thighs together, feeling the warmth travel straight to that sensitive spot. Amazing how he could turn her on with just a text.

For whatever reason, that dress was driving him wild. She wore it when they were loading in, she wore it to the show, she wore it while she was selling their merchandise to their fans, she wore it while she was packing up. And thinking she wasn't wearing any underwear made it even hotter. 

He struggled all night to keep it together, just waiting for a chance to get her alone. But the opportunity never presented itself and he wasn't able to get his hands on her that night. 

He did, however, play the last song of their set in his underwear, thanks to the lost bet with Zack. It wasn't as bad as he thought it would be. His boxer briefs were black and his guitar covered most of his goods, but the girls in the crowd still went wild. After the show, he had about 2,000 requests to take a picture in just his underwear, but he politely declined each and every one of them, offering to take fully-clothed pictures instead. 

Late that night, as he laid in his bunk while the bus traveled to the next destination, his phone pinged. It was a text from Aubrey:

**You should play in your underwear more often. Sexiest ending to a concert ever.**

Brian smiled then replied. **_You liked that?_**

**Loved it. But it was such a tease. Especially since we weren't able to sneak off anywhere tonight. **

** _I know :( Do you think I could get away with sneaking into your bunk right now? _ **

**With how loud we both are, I doubt it. We don't have soft, quiet sex. **She texted in response.

** _Good point. Sucks though. I can't stop thinking about you in that dress. Can't stop looking at that picture._ **

**Hey, wait a minute. That's not fair!**

** _What's not fair?_ **

**You have a picture to hold you over. I don't have one. :( **

He smirked, deciding to tease her like she teased him. He quickly shoved down his shorts and wrapped his hand around his already-hard dick then snapped a pic to send to Aubrey. It was too dark to see anything, so he turned the flash on and took another one. 

But as soon as the flash went off, Jimmy yelled, "GATES IS SENDING DICK PICS IN THE DARK."

Brian chuckled then sent the pic to Aubrey.

**Jesus... Do you think we could both fit into the bathroom? Maybe the back lounge? I'm dyinggg.**

** _Haha. I wish, baby. _ **

Despite the fact that they had pictures to hold each other over, the next night, before the show even started, Brian dragged Aubrey to a storage room down a deserted hallway in the venue to get out all of their sexual frustration.

The thumping sound of her backside hitting the door was harsh in the otherwise quiet storage room. All the moaning and grunting and panting hardly disguised the noise. Anyone who walked by would know exactly what was happening on the other side of that door.

"Oh, God," she sighed in blissful vain as he kissed her neck roughly.

"You like that?" He grunted as he thrusted his hips into hers, driving her into the door again. 

"Yes!" She screamed as she clutched his tattooed shoulders in desperation.

He moved away from her neck and looked at her, watching as her eyes fluttered shut and her mouth dropped open. It drove him wild. He knew exactly what that look foreshadowed. He knew she was close and he kept his pace steady but pumped deeper and deeper, knowing it would send her over the edge.

"Brian," she breathed sweetly as she threw her head back against the door.

"Yeah, baby?" He whispered back, although he knew why she was calling his name.

She tightened her thighs around his waist. He watched as she tensed, feeling the sweetest sensation between his legs. Her body rolled in waves as she moaned loudly. Her nails dug into his shoulders and clawed at the back of his neck. He never got tired of watching her come. It was the purest yet most sensual thing he ever saw. It was the only time he ever had the privilege to see her so raw and vulnerable and sometimes he craved the sight.

Before her orgasm even subsided, his own hit him like a bright explosion. He grunted as his hips jerked into hers. His knees weakened, struggling to stay upright and to keep her up as he pumped into her core, emptying himself inside of her. He felt her relax in his arms, resting her forehead onto his shoulder as he continued to pulsate within her. She kissed the crook of his neck softly as he panted, coming down from his sexual high. 

He slipped out of her with a pained expression, never wanting to leave his safe place: alone with her and naked inside of her.

Her weak legs straightened as he set her down on her feet. He kept her pressed against the door and brought his lips to hers, kissing her gently but with feeling. She returned the kiss with fervor, pushing her hips forward into his and running her fingers through the hair at the back of his head. She tried to slip her tongue in his mouth but he pulled away quickly with a chuckle.

"You're insatiable," he laughed, pressing his forehead to hers.

"That's what happens when you tease me all day," she retorted, pulling him in for another kiss.

"Payback," he muttered against her mouth, running his hands down her hips to her butt. "For that dress you wore the other night."

She pulled away from his lips and smirked. "Not my fault you can't handle this," she teased with a shimmy. 

He laughed and kissed her cheek then pulled away from her hold. The warmth from each other's bodies was sucked away quickly; cold air making her shiver. She grabbed a paper towel and wiped the fluid dripping between her thighs and watched as he got dressed in front of her. The muscles flexing in his arms. The swirls of colors all over his body from his multitude of tattoos. The sweat glistening on his skin. She wanted him again. 

And again. 

And again.

Ø 

The front lounge of the bus was quiet the next morning as everyone sat around, still groggy from sleep. Zacky was curled up on the couch with his head in Aubrey's lap as she played with his hair, a request he often made, especially after a night of heavy drinking. Jimmy sat at the table with Brian, both eating large bowls of cereal. The only sounds that came from them were the plinking of their spoons against their bowls and the slurping of milk. Johnny and Matt sat on the other couch, watching a local morning news channel. Matt seemed to be interested in the program, but Johnny's eyes were heavy and he was definitely not focused on what the news anchor was reporting.

"Holy shit, you guys!" Valary exclaimed excitedly.

Everyone glanced up with tired eyes to see Val, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as always, walking out into the front lounge of the bus clutching her phone and staring at it. 

"What's wrong?" Matt asked, curious and a little concerned.

"Nothing's wrong!" She explained. "It's great news! I scored you guys a killer new bus for the next leg of the tour! They just emailed me pictures; it's beautiful!" 

"Lemme see!" Jimmy spoke, muffled by a mouthful of cereal, reaching for her phone.

Val handed him the phone and he took it, squinting at the screen since he didn't have his glasses on.

"Holy fuckballs," Jimmy said, swallowing his large bite of cereal.

"Give it," Brian demanded, reaching over the table and snatching the phone from his best friend's hand. When his eyes perused the screen, he whistled. "Damn, Val."

He handed the phone to Matt, who's eyes grew wide at the sight. "Whoa. This is incredible. How'd you finagle this?"

"The label asked how we liked the bus," she began, watching as Matt passed the phone to Johnny. "I mean, obviously it was fine, but I wanted to see what would happen if I told them it was just okay and we were cramped. And they responded by totally stepping it up."

"This is fucking amazing, Val!" Johnny added.

"I wanna see!" Zacky whined. 

Johnny handed the phone back to Val who passed it to Zack.

"Wow, this is some serious rock star shit," Zack stated simply. He lifted the phone up so Aubrey could see it then sat upright once she took the device from his hands.

She got a good look at their new bus, which only contained pictures of the front lounge, but the description detailed upgrades such as granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, leather couches, bigger bunks, and much larger front and back lounges.

"Wow, this is beautiful! Nice job, Val!" Aubrey commented. "You guys will have to send pics of it on the next tour so I can see the whole thing!" 

In an instant, everyone froze and the whole room went silent. Even the TV seemed to be muted.

"Why wouldn't you be able to see the whole thing yourself?" Zacky asked, glancing up at her with his brow wrinkled in confusion.

"Well I won't be on the next part of the tour, so you'll have to send pics!" She explained. 

Simultaneously, everyone began shouting in protest. Aubrey's eyes widened, a little taken aback by the sudden outburst of yelling. She couldn't make out what anyone was saying. She could only see the shocked, confused, and hurt expressions on everyone's faces as they hollered. 

"Hold on! Hold on!" Val shouted, raising her hands and quieting everyone. "What do you mean you won't be on the next tour? Why not?"

Aubrey shrugged nonchalantly. "I have to get back to my life in Phoenix."

"What? Why?" Brian asked, a little more than surprised. "We need you on tour." _I need you on tour_.

"Yeah, dude, you're family now," Matt added. "You can't just NOT go on tour with us."

Aubrey frowned, her heart breaking. "This was just a temporary gig for me. I thought y'all knew that!"

Though Brian's face looked perplexed, his heart smiled at her saying _y'all_. 

"Well yeah we did, but that was before you knew how awesome we are," Zack explained with a 'duh' expression on his face.

"Yeah, that was before you were part of the family. Before you knew how much you loved us," Johnny reminded her. 

"Wait!" Jimmy shouted, dropping his spoon and throwing his hands up. "You DO love us, RIGHT?"

"Of course I do," Aubrey sighed.

"Then fuck Phoenix, we want you on tour with us!" Jimmy exclaimed.

She smiled softly, her heart heavy. She wanted to stay, to go on tour with them forever. But she knew she had to be responsible and get back to the life she ran from. Running from her issues would never make them go away and she knew it.

"I'll think about it, okay?" She promised.

While everyone accepted that as a sufficient compromise, Brian knew she had already made up her mind. He knew that she wasn't going on any more tours with them. And he would be lying if he said his heart didn't break at the thought.


	10. Chapter 10

The guys sauntered off stage with smiles spread across all of their faces. Despite being heavily intoxicated since the early afternoon, they just put on a great show. The crowd was very energetic, dancing, moshing, singing along, crowd surfing, and stage diving all throughout their entire set. In return, the guys had a blast and felt really good about where they were heading as a band.

"That was incredible!" Matt shouted, pulling his sweaty shirt over his head.

"Probably the best show we've had the whole tour," Brian commented, still smiling as they walked into the green room. 

"They're getting better and better each night," Zack noted proudly. 

After freshening up and cooling off, all five of the guys joined Aubrey at the merch table, hanging out with fans, taking pictures, and signing CDs. She sat back and let them take over, selling their own merchandise to their supportive fans. She enjoyed watching them interact, being a balanced mix of their true selves and their stage personas. 

Matt was talkative, wanting to hear every story that an overzealous fan wanted to tell him. Johnny was surprisingly shy, very humbled and appreciative of everyone's praise. Brian was answering question upon question that a guitar-playing fan was asking. Jimmy was cracking jokes and photobombing all the pictures that Zack was taking with fans.

Valary helped Aubrey pack up all the merch while the guys continued to hang out with their fans. They were both so happy to see the guys so ecstatic and even happier to see how eager their fans were to talk to them.

"Is there a fun bar or club nearby?" Aubrey heard Johnny ask as she and Val walked past them, carrying boxes to the bus. 

"Here we go," Val laughed as they exited out the back of the venue and walked the few steps to the bus. 

"They had such a good night," Aubrey said, setting the boxes into the storage compartment. "If they want to go out, I'm all for it."

"You're right. They deserve it," Val agreed as they headed back into the venue.

It didn't take long for the guys to part with their fans and head out to a nearby club that was recommended by a female fan, who Aubrey assumed would probably show up to party with the guys later.

When they entered the club, they were immediately hit by thumping bass, flashing lights, and moving bodies. 

"Drinks!" Jimmy shouted, pointing to the bar and turning in that direction, leading the rest of his band to the beverages. 

"They never want to go to fun places like this!" Val exclaimed excitedly as she pulled Aubrey onto the dancefloor. "All they ever want to do is drink but I _love_ to dance!"

"Me too," Aubrey agreed with a smile, dancing alongside her friend.

Matt joined them first, dancing over to them, carrying a drink in each hand. Aubrey assumed one was for him and one was for Valary, but she was pleasantly surprised when he handed one to Val and the other to her.

"Thank you!" She said appreciatively.

He nodded in acknowledgement then told her, "Long Island Iced Tea!"

"Perfect!" She commented, taking a long sip of the beverage.

Zack joined them next carrying two beers, handing one to Matt and taking a sip of his own as he danced with Aubrey. She moved her body, swaying her hips on him as he bounced to the beat. Val and Matt danced beside them. Brian and Johnny joined them next, followed by Jimmy who had a drink in each hand, both for himself.

Brian and Matt danced on Val while Zack and Johnny danced with Aubrey. Jimmy, content as always, danced with everyone - himself, strangers, his friends. 

The alcohol released a lot of Aubrey's inhibition and had her feeling relaxed. She moved around, dancing with Val, dancing with Matt, dancing with Zack and Johnny and Jimmy. But regardless of who she was dancing with, she had her eye on Brian all night. 

Likewise, he found himself unable to take his eyes off of her all night. She wore a short black, long-sleeve dress and her legs looked killer. Her hair was down, waving all around as she swayed. She was having fun, smiling, dancing. She looked beautiful.

She and Val danced playfully with all the guys all night, so no one thought anything of it when Aubrey strutted her way over to Brian and began shaking her hips on him.

For the most part, all of the dancing between the girls and the guys had been fun, platonic, and innocent, but the second Brian got his hands on Aubrey, he was a goner. The way she looked him in the eye and rolled her shoulders and swayed her hips. The way she positioned herself just close enough to be intimate without actually touching him. 

"I need refills!" Jimmy shouted to Zack as he held up an empty glass in each hand. Zack nodded and lifted his empty beer bottle up in agreement then they left to get new drinks. 

Val grabbed Aubrey's arm and leaned in to holler in her ear. "We're gonna head out to the car for a bit," she laughed, somewhat sheepishly. "Don't let anyone come to the car for at least thirty minutes."

Aubrey winked. "You got it."

She watched as Val dragged Matt out of the club.

Johnny was dancing with some random girl, so drunk he probably couldn't see straight, focused on the girl who was shaking her ass on his thigh.

Aubrey took that opportunity to get even closer to Brian, throwing an arm around his neck, staring him down as she rolled her body on his.

He didn't dance behind her, grinding on her like a hormonal teenager. Instead he danced _with_ her, facing her, keeping a hand on her waist but not holding her to him. He moved his body with hers to the beat of the music, being playful but respectful. She smiled and he returned the gesture. He was having fun, for the first time in a long time. He didn't dance much, but he appreciated having a reason to be let loose. And specifically, to let loose with her. 

When he pulled her body closer and pressed his forehead against hers, the mood turned intimate. 

It was turning her on immensely. And unfortunately, alcohol furthered her inhibitions, causing her to roll her body against his as they danced. She nearly took his breath away as he felt her against him. He had to remind himself over and over that they were in public, that their friends were merely feet away. Hell, he was probably already risking too much by dancing with her, especially this close. But he had tunnel vision. He needed to get her alone. Now. 

Before anyone could return and before Johnny could notice, Brian grabbed Aubrey's hand and pulled her through the crowd. Elation rose in the pit of her stomach and the warm space between her thighs ached in anticipation of what she knew was coming.

His eyes scanned the room erratically and when he found what he was looking for, he booked it in that direction. He quickly threw open the door to the men's restroom, locking it behind him then bent over briefly to check under the stalls for any others.

When the coast was clear, he turned around to Aubrey, immediately closing the gap between them. She wrapped her arms around his neck then sighed into his mouth. His hands immediately went to her hips, gripping them roughly. God, he loved her hips. Their tongues met, tangling in each other's mouths. A sense of desperation built up inside of them both.

He pushed his hips forward into hers, shoving her back up against the bathroom counter. His lips flew from her mouth to her neck and she instinctively tilted her head back, giving him better access to the sensitive area. His lips trailed up to her jaw, just beneath her ear. 

He briefly removed his lips from her neck then quickly moved his hands below her butt and lifted her up, setting her down on top of the counter, just at the edge.

She grabbed his face, pulling it to hers and kissing him roughly again, immediately forcing her tongue into his mouth. His hands ran up her smooth bare thighs and under her dress as their tongues danced. He slid his hands to her backside, where he discovered that she was wearing a thong under her dress. He groaned with pleasure into her mouth, tugging on the thin material.

She moved her hands, pushing them down against the counter to lift herself up slightly so Brian could quickly slide her underwear off of her butt. He pulled them all the way down her thighs then carefully slipped them over her shoes and tucked them into his pocket before he attached his lips back to hers. Clumsily, he unbuckled and unzipped his pants and pushed them down along with his underwear. The clothes fell to the floor around his ankles.

They shared a sense of urgency, bypassing all typical foreplay to not waste any time, as their moment alone would likely not last very long.

Brian moved between Aubrey's legs and pushed up her dress to get it out of his way, causing her to slightly shiver at his touch.

He lined himself up at her entrance. They both watched as he slowly pushed himself inside of her. 

He glanced up at her and when his eyes met hers, his body and mind went into autopilot.

He pressed his lips to hers roughly, bringing one hand behind her neck and the other on her hip, beneath her dress, to hold her steady as he began pumping into her. She ran her hands under his shirt, resting them on his bare sides to steady herself even more as he picked up his pace.

Overwhelmed by the feeling, he broke away from her lips, but pressed his forehead to hers to maintain closeness.

"God," he breathed, unsure of how his legs didn't collapse beneath him from the pleasure.

A familiar tingling sensation began building in the pit of Aubrey's stomach, quicker than it ever has before. She bucked her hips to meet his thrusts as best as she could, mostly restricted by the surface of the counter. Brian shut his eyes tight, relishing in the feeling of her gyrating with his hand on her hip as he held her steady.

A moan escaped her mouth; the feeling intensified every time he slammed into her. 

Her entire body tensed up as she felt the impending climax get closer. Her hands squeezed his bare sides, and Brian maintained his quick pace, able to read through her body language that she liked what he was doing, which made him throb inside of her.

As the burst of pleasure exploded throughout every inch of her body, she threw her head back, causing Brian to hold onto her neck tighter to keep her close. Her back arched as her torso rolled with the waves of her orgasm. Her loud moans rocketed through the bathroom as her vision blurred and her mind shut off.

The sights, sounds, and feelings of her orgasm sent Brian over the edge. He dug his fingertips into her skin. Hearing her whimper in delight, feeling her muscles pulsate in waves around him and her hands grip his sides, seeing her hips buck uncontrollably against him.

He pulled her closer, pressing his face into her neck as he slammed into her until he was hit with his own orgasm. He grunted into her neck, unloading inside of her as fireworks of bliss went off and exploded outwardly inside his body.

His body finally relaxed as they both panted, trying to catch their breath as they came down from their euphoric highs.

Aubrey caressed the back of his head affectionately then leaned down, placing a gentle kiss on the top of his head as he breathed heavily into her neck. He stayed like that for a moment, limp inside of her, trying to steady his heartbeat.

The sound of someone banging on the bathroom door snapped them out of their haze.

"Shit," Brian grunted, slipping out of her and helping her off the counter. He quickly pulled up his pants. She cleaned herself up, straightened her dress, and looked around for her underwear but didn't see them anywhere. She didn't put up much of a fight for them because embarrassingly enough, it wouldn't be the first time she left her underwear behind somewhere.

She hurried over to the door with Brian, hiding behind him to shield herself from the embarrassment of being caught in the men's bathroom. 

When Brian opened the bathroom door, he was faced with the unexpected. Johnny. Standing right in front of him.

"Gates?" Johnny questioned as he tried to step into the bathroom but Brian was still standing in the doorway, frozen. 

Aubrey's eyes widened, hidden by Brian's torso, as she recognized the voice in front of them. 

"What're you doing? Why'd you lock the door?" Johnny asked, bemused and skeptical of his friend's strange actions and even stranger demeanor. 

Brian didn't say a word. His brain raced with an excuse, a way to get out of the bathroom and get Aubrey out of the bathroom without Johnny seeing.

"Okaaay. Move, dick," Johnny spat, shoving Brian out of the way and revealing Aubrey behind him, looking like a deer in headlights.

"AC? What are you..." Johnny trailed off as his eyes widened. He looked over at Brian then back to Aubrey. Then back to Brian. Then back to Aubrey.

She looked down at her feet sheepishly, silently confirming Johnny's growing suspicion.

Johnny's jaw dropped as the realization hit him, and he screeched. "Holy shit!"


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoy!

_When Brian opened the bathroom door, he was faced with the unexpected. Johnny. Standing right in front of him._

_"Gates?" Johnny questioned as he tried to step into the bathroom but Brian was still standing in the doorway, frozen. _

_Aubrey's eyes widened, hidden by Brian's torso, as she recognized the voice in front of them. _

_"What're you doing? Why'd you lock the door?" Johnny asked, bemused and skeptical of his friend's strange actions and even stranger demeanor. _

_Brian didn't say a word. His brain raced with an excuse, a way to get out of the bathroom and get Aubrey out of the bathroom without Johnny seeing._

_"Okaaay. Move, dick," Johnny spat, shoving Brian out of the way and revealing Aubrey behind him, looking like a deer in headlights._

_"AC? What are you..." Johnny trailed off as his eyes widened. He looked over at Brian then back to Aubrey. Then back to Brian. Then back to Aubrey._

_She looked down at her feet sheepishly, silently confirming Johnny's growing suspicion._

_Johnny's jaw dropped as the realization hit him, and he screeched. "Holy shit!"_

Brian grabbed Johnny by the collar of his shirt and yanked him into the bathroom then slammed the door behind him, locking it again. 

Johnny's eyes were wide with understanding and fear as Brian shoved him up against the back of the door roughly. "You two just fucked in here!"

Brian exhaled the breath he didn't realize he had been holding in and let go of Johnny's shirt. He took a step back and looked at Aubrey, who glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. Neither of them made a sound. 

"Oh my **GOD**, you two have _been_ fucking, haven't you?!" Johnny realized, looking at Aubrey then at Brian. He was getting worked up, panting as he tried to quickly get his words out. "I knew there was a reason why you weren't bringing a ton of girls back to the bus! The girls you fucked haven't been ninjas - they've been **AUBREY**! They haven't been sneaking out quickly, they've been right in front of us this whole time! **SHE'S** been right in front of us this whole time!" Johnny put his face in his hands, covering his eyes, then slowly dragged them down his face, looking up at them with realization. "Oh shit, this is blowing my fucking mind."

Brian and Aubrey just looked at each other again, unsure of what to do or say. They had been caught. And they hadn't talked about their "relationship" with each other, much less with anyone else. How were they going to explain it? How did they _want _to explain it?

Suddenly, Johnny started cackling. "Oh boy, and _I'm_ the band's colossal fuck up? _I'm_ the idiot?" Doubled over with laughter, he pointed to Brian. "You've been fucking AUBREY! Our merch girl! No wonder she's not going on any more tours with us! Oh god, wait till the guys get ahold of this!"

Brian's face fell. He hadn't thought about it like that. Maybe that _is_ why she didn't want to go on tour with them anymore. 

"Johnny, no," Aubrey said with anguish, reaching for him.

Once more, he looked back and forth between the two of them, seeing the frightened look in Brian's eyes and the imploring look in Aubrey's. Just one look in both of their desperately pleading eyes and Johnny knew he couldn't tell a soul.

"...son of a bitch," He grumbled, narrowing his eyes at them. "The one time someone - who's **NOT ME** \- does something worth blabbing about... And you dickheads aren't gonna let me say a word, are you?"

If he was being honest, Brian didn't care if the guys knew. At first, he wanted to keep it a secret, knowing how ridiculously stupid it was to sleep with their live-in merch girl while they're on tour, having zero intentions of a relationship with her, but now? Now, he didn't care. One of the guys knew - why not just tell them all? Why hide it?

"Please, Johnny," Aubrey pleaded. She found solace in her friendships with the guys, Brian included, and she didn't want anything to change. If this knowledge spread, things would definitely change. "I don't want them to find out like a piece of gossip. We'll tell them on our own terms. When we're ready."

He narrowed his eyes at them yet again, flickering his gaze from Brian to Aubrey back to Brian then back to Aubrey. He sighed, relenting. "For you, AC, I'll keep my mouth shut," he said then turned and pointed to Brian. "But you? Oh my god, you owe me. This is going to be **such** good blackmail."

"I'll owe you," Brian agreed, knowing Johnny would give him shit for it any chance he could, but if that's what Aubrey wanted, he'd suck it up and take it like a man.

After pushing himself between them, Johnny moved over to the urinal and unzipped his pants. Brian and Aubrey just looked at each other, trying to gauge each other's feelings about the situation. Neither seemed to show much emotion about it.

"Damn," Johnny said as he began to pee with his back to them. "You two seriously just fucked in here? That's some next level shit, straight out of a movie or something."

"Jesus, Johnny," Brian exhaled, pinching the bridge of his nose while Aubrey blushed.

Once Johnny was done in the bathroom, the three of them exited together, seeming even more promiscuous that way. On the dance floor, they met back up with Val and Matt, who were also back from their rendezvous, and Zack and Jimmy, who were beyond intoxicated.

It only took an hour for Brian and Aubrey to relax and forget about being caught almost literally with their pants down. Johnny almost immediately disregarded the scene he witnessed - for the time being - thanks to alcohol and random girls to keep his attention. By that point, everyone was gathered around a high standing table on the other side of the club, which was quieter, giving them the opportunity to chat while they continued to throw back drinks. 

"Hey, AC?" Jimmy slurred, throwing an arm around Aubrey and grabbing her attention.

"Yeah?" She replied, turning to him. His face was pale - paler than usual - and his brow was furrowed in confusion. 

"I think I'm gonna hurl," he mumbled matter-of-factly.

Brian, overhearing his friend's confession, reacted quickly. He knew if Jimmy was admitting to feeling sick, he was definitely going to barf. So he grabbed his friend by the arm and dragged him to the men's bathroom. Aubrey followed, concerned by Brian's hasty movements.

As soon as they reached a toilet, Jimmy retched, spewing the contents of his stomach all into the bowl. 

Aubrey watched with a pouty frown on her face. She didn't like seeing him so sick. He tried to secure himself by holding each side of the toilet seat with his hands but he continued to sway and stumble anyway. He was hardly able to hold his body still over the toilet as he vomited, so Brian held a hand on his back to steady him. 

Knowing it would help soothe him, Aubrey grabbed a paper towel from the dispenser and wet it with cold water. When Jimmy was done throwing up, he leaned back against the wall of the stall, resting his head back against it.

"I wanna go home," he whined.

"I know, sweetie," Aubrey cooed as she patted the cold paper towel on his flushed cheeks gently. "We'll get you back on the bus in a second."

"No, I wanna go home," he reiterated. "To California."

"Not much longer, bud," Brian reassured, watching as Aubrey wiped Jimmy's mouth for him. "We'll be home before you know it."

Even though the words left his own mouth, it stung as he heard them out loud. He wasn't ready to go home. Because being home now meant being without Aubrey. 

Jimmy leaned over and laid his head on Aubrey's shoulder, slouching greatly because of their height difference. He seemed to have the same thought as Brian because he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her.

"I don't want you to leave though," he whined.

Aubrey exhaled softly, wrapping her arms around him to return the hug. "Hey, my brother lives near Huntington now, so I know I'll be making trips out there. It's only a six-hour drive. I'll come visit."

"And phone calls every day," Jimmy negotiated. 

She chuckled gently, glancing at Brian who was smiling but sadly.

"And phone calls every day," she agreed, rubbing Jimmy's back.

Satisfied by their deal, Jimmy stood up straight and pulled out of the hug, but he moved too fast, so he stumbled a little. Brian grabbed his arm and helped him steady on his feet. 

"Ready to go back to the bus?" Brian asked. 

Jimmy nodded lazily like a child. 

"C'mon." Brian patted his best friend on the back then led him out the stall and to the door.

And for the second time that night, Aubrey exited the men's bathroom with Brian and another male. 

"Hey," Brian greeted the others back at the high table. "Jimmy just puked his brains out in the bathroom, so we're gonna take him back to the bus. You guys gonna hang out here a little longer?"

"Yeah, we'll meet you guys back at the bus later!" Matt answered.

Johnny pursed his lips, smirking at Brian and Aubrey knowingly. They simply ignored his look.

"Be careful," Val warned. "Feel better, Jimmy." 

Jimmy, whose arm was draped over Aubrey's shoulder for support, saluted haphazardly at her in response.

They said their goodbyes then headed out.

Brian and Aubrey tried their best to get Jimmy through the crowd of people and out the door, but his tall body and lanky appendages made it somewhat difficult as he wavered and staggered around. At one point, his feet nearly came right out from under him. Luckily he was right next to a wall that broke his fall as he smacked right into it.

"Oh shit," he mumbled, trying to regain his balance. "That wall came out of nowhere!"

Brian and Aubrey laughed, grabbing onto his arms and helping him stand up straight again. Jimmy swayed, giggling at his own mishap, throwing an arm around both of their shoulders.

"I love you guys," Jimmy cooed. "So much."

"We love you too," Aubrey replied sweetly.

Jimmy smiled, pulling them in close on either side of him. Despite his intoxicated state, he meant those words. In fact, he meant them so much that he felt the need to remind them every few minutes, the whole way back to the bus.

"Oh shit, wait, I love you guys soo much," Jimmy slurred with an arm still hanging over both of their shoulders as they kept his steps steady walking up to the bus. "Have I ever told you that?"

"You might've mentioned it once or twice," Brian answered, smirking at Aubrey, who returned the smile.

"Well I'm mentionin' it again!" Jimmy exclaimed, sweeping his head sideways. "I love you!"

Aubrey chuckled. "And we love you!" 

They helped him up the stairs and down the hallway until they reached his bunk.

"You guys would be so good for each other," Jimmy muttered as he fell back onto his pillow. "You two should get married."

"Okay, buddy," Brian agreed to appease his friend.

"Am I gonna be the best man?" Jimmy wondered as Aubrey pulled an empty wastebasket over to his bunk in case he got sick again.

"Of course you're gonna be my best man," Brian assured, patting his friend's chest.

"If you switch the vowels in your name, your name becomes Brain," Jimmy informed randomly, changing the subject without warning.

"I know," Brian laughed. "You've told me that many times."

"Alright. Goodnight, assholes," Jimmy said in an innocent, kind voice.

Aubrey chuckled. "Goodnight."

"Night, Jim," Brian countered with a laugh.

Aubrey shut the curtain to the bunk then they walked back down the hall to the front lounge. 

Brian reached into his pockets for his phone but found something silky and lacy instead. He pulled the material out to reveal Aubrey's thong. 

"Oh, hey, I think this belongs to you," he said as he held her panties out to her. 

"Oh shit, I was wondering where the hell my underwear went," she laughed, taking them from him. But not putting them on, he noticed. 

"I didn't want to throw them on the dirty bathroom floor, so I shoved them in my pocket," he explained. "But I forgot about them when Johnny busted up in there."

"No problem," she replied, walking down the hall again to discard her lingerie. "Thank you for not throwing them on the ground. You're the only guy to give a shit about my underwear staying clean."

He laughed. _Jake probably wouldn't have given a shit about her underwear._

Brian's brow furrowed. Where the hell did that thought come from? Jesus, he needed to get the fuck over it. Nothing happened between them. But would it have? 

He still wondered if she would've gone through with it if he hadn't intervened. He knew it was stupid to bring it up - he fought to keep the words down, knowing no good could come from the conversation, but apparently Jimmy's barfing was contagious because Brian couldn't stop the word vomit that arose when she walked back into the front lounge.

"Were you going to sleep with him?" Brian asked abruptly.

"With who?" She wrinkled her brow. "Jimmy?"

"Noo," Brian laughed softly. "With Jake."

This time, Aubrey laughed. "Jake? The bartender from that hotel?"

"Yeah," he answered. "I overheard him ask you to get a drink with him after work."

She cocked her head slightly to the side. "Just in case you forgot, I didn't get a drink with him that night," she reminded him. "I was in bed. With you. Remember? Besides, I didn't even say yes to him."

"You didn't say no either," he pointed out.

"Why does it matter?" She wondered, getting frustrated with him. 

He knew she would ask that. It was a question he didn't have the answer to. So he lied. "It doesn't." It did. He just didn't know _why_ it mattered. "I just wanted to know if you were actually going to sleep with him or not."

"I mean, I thought about it." Her words felt like a punch straight to the pit of his stomach. "Wait, is that why you followed me downstairs that night and seduced me by the fucking vending machines?"

He hesitated, unsure how to answer. "No. Not exactly."

"Wow," she breathed, seeing right through his fib. "You are something else, Brian. That was such a memorable night for me. Now it's totally tainted."

He stared at her. _Say something, you idiot._

"Goodnight, Brian," she sighed, not wanting to continue the conversation any longer.

She started to walk away, back to the bunks.

"Aubrey wait," he was finally able to speak. 

She stopped and reluctantly turned around to face him. 

"I was jealous. Okay?" He admitted, suddenly feeling like if he didn't open up to her now, he'd lose her even sooner than he anticipated. "I was jealous and I don't know why, I couldn't tell you why. I know what we're doing here, I know I didn't and don't have any right to be jealous. But I was." 

She simply stared at him, not showing any emotion on her face. But deep down, she was so pleased that he was opening up to her, discussing how he felt about her. She hadn't realized it before, but she desperately wanted to know his feelings.

He sighed. "At first, yeah I wanted to seduce you, but I thought it wasn't fair, you were drunk and high, and it just wasn't right. So I backed off. But then you started whispering things in my ear, begging me to fuck you." He threw his hands up in defeat and surrender. "Of course I wanted to keep you away from Jake. And I'm not sorry for it because that night ruined me in the best possible way and I won't ever regret it. And I know you feel the same way. Don't let my immaturity taint that night for you. Please. Despite the fact that I acted like a controlling caveman, that night was perfect and you know it."

She exhaled audibly. She actually wasn't mad. Truth be told, she was glad he had done what he did. It kept her out of someone else's bed and wrecked her in his bed. But it still sucked to know that someone's intentions that seemed so pure were actually driven by possessiveness.

"I'm not sorry for that night but I'm sorry if I hurt you," he added. "You have to know that I would never intentionally do anything to hurt you." 

"I know," she acknowledged. "I'll see you in the morning. Goodnight." 

He sighed, defeated, watching as she walked out of the room again. He was overcome with a sudden onset of new emotions. He wanted to follow her. To kiss her. To make her forgive him. To beg her to stay with them on tour. To move to Huntington Beach. To do all of these things he suddenly realized he wanted. 

But none of those things were what she wanted. And he couldn't stomach groveling like a little bitch just for her to turn him down. 

Ø

The next morning, Aubrey woke early. And by the grace of God, she woke without a major hangover, but she still needed a pick-me-up. So she meandered into the front lounge to find some type of energy drink or coffee, something to wake her the hell up. But what she found instead was picture perfect. 

Jimmy was on the couch in the lounge, curled up, clutching a burrito from Taco Bell to his chest, practically snuggling with it. Johnny was asleep at the table with his face in an open taco, drooling into it. And Zacky was sprawled out in the middle of the floor, using his own meal from Taco Bell as a pillow. There were balled up taco wrappers and random pieces of food all around them.

"Val is going to kill you, guys," Aubrey whispered, but not loud enough to wake any of them. She snapped a couple photos of them with her phone, mostly for her own enjoyment, but also in case she needed any good blackmail material.

She moved over to the counter to start brewing a pot of coffee.

Brian woke up shortly after, chuckling quietly and shaking his head at his ridiculous friends when he walked into the room. He turned to move into the kitchen area when he noticed Aubrey. 

Her back was turned to him as she set up the coffee maker. He wanted to say something but he didn't know what to say. So he stayed silent. But he couldn't suppress his overwhelming need to touch her, he couldn't stop himself from walking up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist. He nuzzled his nose in her hair, inhaling her scent. God, he loved the way she smelled in the morning. 

She didn't stop her initial task of setting up the coffee pot; she didn't even acknowledge his presence. It made his chest hurt. 

"Please don't be mad at me," Brian whispered pleadingly into her hair.

She didn't respond, but she wasn't mad - not anymore - although she did enjoy hearing him plead for her forgiveness, doting on her sweetly to win her over. If she had been mad, it would've worked like a charm.

He kissed her ear through her hair. "You're breaking my fuckin' heart, babe." 

Aubrey sighed, stopping what she was doing and touching his hand that was flat against her tummy. She leaned her head softly into his and he kissed her ear again, relieved. 

"You pigs," Val's voice spat behind them.

Brian quickly jumped away from Aubrey who whipped her head around. Val was looking at the three unconscious Taco Bell fiends with a disgusted face.

"I had nothing to do with it," Brian said with his hands up in the air.

Val whipped her head to the side. She hadn't even noticed them in the room. Aubrey exhaled with relief. 

"You liar," Val accused, pointing a sassy finger at Brian. "You bought them this shit. You're cleaning it up."

"Yes, Mom!" He called as she hurriedly turned and went back to her bunk. 

"When did you get them Taco Bell?" Aubrey asked.

"A couple hours after you fell asleep," Brian explained. "They all came home obliterated, wanting food. They woke Jimmy up, who decided he was hungry too, even though he was still shitfaced. Taco Bell was the only thing open within walking distance."

Johnny suddenly stirred. His eyes fluttered open as he lifted his head. Pieces of shredded lettuce and ground meat were clinging to his cheek. He glanced from side to side then looked up at them, confused. He peeled a piece of lettuce off of his face as he narrowed his eyes at them. Slowly, he lifted his finger and pointed at them.

"You two about to fuck?" He asked simply.

Brian instantly snorted laughing.

Aubrey rolled her eyes. "Good morning to you too, short shit."

He grunted then laid his head back down in his taco.

By noon, everyone on the bus was awake and dressed, moving around the kitchen and making their lunches. Everyone except Jimmy.

"Alright, James," Val called over to him, knowing he needed to wake up soon for sound check and load-in. "Time to get up."

Jimmy didn't budge.

Matt, noticing his friend's severe lack of consciousness, walked over to him and nudged him. When he didn't get a response from his bandmate, he looked over his shoulder at Val, Aubrey, Brian, and Zack, confused.

"I don't think he's moved since I've been awake," Brian stated, suddenly realizing the fact.

"Jimmy," Matt pushed him harder.

"Jim," Val said sternly. When he didn't flinch, she got louder, "James. James Owen Sullivan."

Concern grew among everyone as Jimmy didn't stir. Brian, a bit panicked, wedged between Val and Matt and jabbed his two fingers into the side of Jimmy's neck to check for a pulse.

As he did that, Jimmy's eyes shot open, startling Val, who clutched her chest and inhaled sharply. Jimmy sat up straight, wide-eyed and glanced around the room at everyone. He looked down at his burrito, realizing it was still there, then brought it to his mouth and took a bite.

"Fucking asshole," Brian spat, walking back to his original spot.

"I thought you were dead," Val stated with anger, smacking Jimmy's shoulder.

"I told you motherfuckers - I am immortal," he announced with a muffled raspy voice; mouth full of Taco Bell as he held his burrito in the air.

Matt rolled his eyes, relieved that Jimmy was okay but annoyed that he scared everyone. Zack shook his head and Aubrey frowned. 

Johnny emerged from the bunks, oblivious to it all, and joined them in the lounge.

"Why's everyone look so pissed off?" He asked.

"We thought Jimmy was dead," Val explained simply.

Johnny looked over at Jimmy, confused since he was sitting upright, breathing and blinking and eating.

"Looks alive to me," Johnny said with a smartass attitude and a shrug.

"Shut up, short ass," Zack spat.

"What the fuck did _I_ do?!" Johnny asked, throwing his hands up in the air in defeat. 

Singlehandedly, Brian laughed at Johnny's frustration, shaking his head at him.

"That reminds me," Johnny smirked at Brian. "I want a shout-out at the show tonight."

Matt's back was facing Johnny as he made his lunch, so he couldn't see that his bassist was talking to Brian and he quickly shot him down. "Not a chance."

"Not from you, dickwad," Johnny replied. "From Synyster Gates."

Brian rolled his eyes. He glanced at Aubrey who was giving him a subtle pleading look.

God, he was such a sucker for her. She could ask him to lick Johnny's asshole and he'd probably do it.

He sighed, relenting. "What do you want me to say?"

Matt and Zack turned to Brian in disbelief, giving him looks of bewilderment. 

"Alright," Johnny began. "Say these words exactly..." 

Ø

"Ladies and gentlemen, I have an announcement to make," Brian's voice echoed throughout the venue as he spoke into the microphone. "Johnny Christ, also known as our bass player, also known as the most attractive member of the band, is looking for a beautiful woman to woo tonight. As his self-appointed wingman, I have made it my duty to make sure that he finds that woman. Or wo_men_. So all you single - or not-so single - ladies, come find him after the show tonight and show him a good time."

A loud cheer erupted from most of the female crowd at the show.

Brian glanced over at Johnny. "Did I remember it all?"

Johnny pointed to the top of his head.

"Oh yeah," Brian returned to the mic. "And he's the king. Of the world. Of everything. Or whatever."

Brian looked back over at him with an expression that said 'Happy?'

Johnny gave him thumbs up and Brian rolled his eyes. The rest of their band and Val had the most puzzled expressions on their faces. But from the merch booth, Aubrey laughed, knowing exactly what Brian was doing. And she was so appreciative that he would suffer through Johnny's bullshit for her.


	12. Chapter 12

Seven pairs of eyes stared up in awe at the bright lights of New York City. Hurried people rushed around them as they all stood on the sidewalk next to the busy street, mobbed with cars and cabs and pedestrians. The iconic skyscrapers loomed over them, intimidating and wonderful, as they absorbed the sights.

"This is so fucking cool," Jimmy spoke hazily with childlike eyes, watching the yellow blur of taxis as they swiftly moved past him.

None of them had ever been to the city before, not even the band, despite having played in certain areas of New York before, so Val scheduled a couple of off-days for them to hang out in the city. It was intoxicating in a way that none of them had ever experienced before.

"I think I'm in love," Zack whispered, with just as much daze and wonderment in his voice.

Johnny nodded in agreement.

"I could stand here all day," Val stated. 

Each of them thought it felt surreal to be in such a beautiful city with their best friends as a result of their band being successful and on tour. It didn't seem real and none of them felt deserving of it, but they would take the opportunity and make the absolute best of it.

They took the Staten Island ferry across the New York Harbor, which rode right past the Statue of Liberty, where they were able to take pictures upon pictures with the green statue in the background - mostly of Jimmy who tried to pose in such a way that it looked like he was pinching, licking, or holding the Statue of Liberty in his hands.

Then they walked through Grand Central Station, looking at the beautiful ceiling of the main concourse and laughing as Jimmy and Johnny caused a ruckus, chasing each other through the crowds of people around the four-sided clock. They strolled through Central Park, where Jimmy chased the ducks around the pond, naturally.

In front of the Flatiron Building, which was shaped exactly like an iron, the group posed and took so many pictures together. And in Times Square, which was lit up so much at night that it seemed to be daylight, they took more pictures.

But by far the most exhilarating sight was the view from the top of the Rockefeller Center observation deck at dusk. 

The group crammed into the small elevator, riding it up 70 floors to the top. Their inner ears popped with the pressure from the quick ascent. 

"Tell me again why we're not going to the top of the Empire State Building like everyone else," Johnny requested with a sarcastic attitude. 

"Because if you go to the top of the Empire State Building, you can't _see_ the Empire State Building in the skyline," Val explained. "My friend tipped me off to the idea. The Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building are arguably the most iconic landmarks in the New York skyline. We'll be able to see them both from up here."

"Hm," Johnny replied with a huff, understanding her reasoning but still uncertain about not going to the top of the most notable building in New York.

The elevator dinged and opened, revealing a gift shop and floor-to-ceiling windows and glass doors. They hurried out the doors, immediately hit with a blast of whipping cold wind. Clear plexiglass prevented any idiot, namely Jimmy, from accidentally or purposefully falling over the side of the railing, but still allowed for a clear, uninterrupted view of the city surrounding them.

"Whoa," Brian breathed, taking in the view, shoving his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket.

"Shit, you were right, Val," Johnny acknowledged, pressing his nose up against the glass. "Seeing the Empire State Building from here is way cool."

Val nodded in agreement, pleased to hear him admit she was right.

"Look, the walkway wraps all the way around," Zack pointed out, moving around the corner to see the rest of the skyline.

Val, Johnny, Matt, and Jimmy followed, spreading out, spanning their group across the 360-degree view of the city. 

"This is the most incredible thing I've ever seen," Aubrey said softly as she peeked through the glass at the beautiful sight.

Brian looked over at her. She was smiling, looking so youthful and beautiful with her hair billowing over her shoulder from the thrashing wind. The addition of the sunset and the New York City skyline behind her sent chills up and down his spine. He could've stared at that sight forever.

There was no longer any doubt in his mind. He was falling in love with her. He had been toying with the idea for a few days now, trying to disprove the thought, but it was official. This day had sealed the deal. 

He pulled his phone out of his pocket and opened the camera.

"Aubrey," he called, getting her attention. 

She glanced over her shoulder at him to see what he wanted. He held up his phone with the camera pointed at her.

"Smile," he said, positioning himself just right to grab the skyline and the sunset in the background.

Her heart fluttered as she smiled and he snapped a pic of her.

"Beautiful," he said, looking at the picture on his phone.

With the rest of their group spread out across the observation deck and out of sight, he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her to his side then leaned over and kissed her cheek. 

"So, uh," he cleared his throat, looking out at the city. "I'm really glad you're here. Really glad you came on tour with us."

She smiled, leaning her head on his shoulder. "Me too, Brian. I'm really glad I'm here too."

Ø 

"Hey, look!" Jimmy shouted, pointing at a window sign ahead of them. "Take a picture of me in front of my building!" 

Confused, everyone glanced up to see what he was talking about. The window read: **The James New York**. 

"It's my building!" Jimmy exclaimed, reiterating his excitement.

Everyone chuckled at his childlike exuberance. 

"I'll take a picture; go stand in front of it," Val laughed then pulled out her camera. 

Jimmy posed, gaping and pointing to his name, while Val snapped a picture of him. 

The doorman, a big guy in a doorman's uniform who nearly resembled Santa Claus with his white hair and white beard, had been watching the whole scene unfold and he laughed a deep belly laugh at the adorableness of the group, particularly of the tall, skinny kid and his excitement over the name of the building he manned.

"Where are you guys from?" He asked.

"California," Valary answered.

The doorman whistled. "You a long ways from home, huh? What brings you to New York? Just visiting?"

"The boys are in a touring band," she replied, pointing to the guys. "They're playing in Brooklyn tomorrow."

"Wow," the doorman acknowledged with a nod. "That sounds like fun."

  
"Hey, what is this place?" Jimmy asked him.

"The James hotel," the doorman answered.

"Oh shit, it's my hotel," Jimmy reiterated, turning to his friends with wide eyes.

"Hey, is there a Johnny hotel nearby?" Johnny asked the doorman.

The doorman laughed heartily again. "I don't think so, kid." 

For some reason, he took a quick liking to the unorthodox group of friends. They seemed genuine and pure to him, and he felt a sudden sense of generosity towards them, wanting to do something nice for them. 

He turned back to Jimmy. "Your name's James?"

Jimmy nodded.

"Do you go by Jimmy?" He wondered.

"I do!" Jimmy answered excitedly with wide eyes.

"Oh, then you're gonna love this, kid," the doorman said as he motioned for the group to get closer to him. When they did, he whispered, "Come back in an hour. Guys, you need to wear button down shirts and slacks, and ladies, you need to wear cocktail dresses. We're having the grand opening of our rooftop bar and tickets have been sold out for months, but I'll get you in."

"Sweet," Zack commended with his eyebrows raised. "We were looking for a place to party tonight."

"You're gonna love this place," the doorman replied then pointed to Jimmy. "Especially you."

Jimmy's eyes lit up like a child's. 

And an hour later, the group sauntered back over to The James hotel wearing their best clothes and were led, by the doorman, to the rooftop bar and lounge, which was named none other than **Jimmy**. 

"IT'S CALLED JIMMY!" Jimmy shouted as he raced to the sign. "Hurry, Val! Take another pic!"

Valary did as she was directed, taking a picture of Jimmy in front of the sign.

"I don't think anyone will give you any trouble, but if anyone asks, you're with new local online newspapers to write reviews on the place," the doorman instructed the rest of them.

Aubrey nodded and turned to him. "Thank you for doing this."

"No problem," the doorman replied with a nod then walked away. "Enjoy!"

They entered the lounge, which was adorned with small tables and plush leather seats and a long bar against the back wall with rows and rows of bottles of liquor. The room was illuminated with dim, twinkling, ambient lights and filled with people who were standing around chatting, creating the buzz of discussion that was heard over the gentle music.

"Welcome to Jimmy!" The bartender greeted the group as they approached.

"Thanks!" Jimmy replied excitedly, hopping up onto one of the barstools, making himself right at home. 

"Here's our drink menu," the bartender announced as he slid a picture frame over to them, which contained the menu.

They all scanned the items briefly, reading the list and mentally making their decisions.

"Oh yeah," Jimmy spoke up first, nodding with a laugh. "I'll have a 'Who's Your Daddy.'" 

The rest of the group laughed, as Jimmy acted as if the bar was literally his.

"You got it, sir," the bartender acknowledged. "What can I get the rest of you?" 

Everyone else ordered their drinks and when they were delivered, they took them outside onto the rooftop pool that overlooked the sky at dusk. People were dancing along to the loud music that struck out into the night sky as the DJ stood behind his turntable, playing mixes of his own accord. Stringed lights were strewn around the roof and railings, twinkling along with the lights from the skyscrapers, creating a city life vibe. 

Drinks upon drinks were consumed as the hours passed. Music played, the seven friends danced together, and memories were made - as they always were.

"This has been the best fucking tour we've ever been on," Matt said with contentment as they all sat around the edge of the pool later that night, looking out at the night lights of the city. The guys all had their pant legs rolled up to their knees as they their lower legs hung over the edge of the pool and into the water.

"It has been," Brian agreed with a nod, glancing over at Aubrey who was sitting off to the side with Val, laughing at something she said as they dangled their legs into the pool as well.

"This stop alone has been the best fucking day of any tour we've ever been on," Johnny pointed out. "I fucking love New York."

"Yeah, I've never had so much fun sober before," Zack said.

"You're not sober," Matt pointed out with a laugh.

"I was earlier!" Zack defended. "Definitely not anymore though."

Each day of the tour seemed to get better and better. But this stop had been the most fun, by far. The group had never laughed so hard or seen so many cool sights or enjoyed each other's company so much. This particular tour had brought them so much closer together, and this particular day had intensified their bonds and solidified their friendships even more. 

"We gotta commemorate this tour, you guys," Zack decided. 

Jimmy and Brian immediately looked at each other and simultaneously shouted: "Tour tattoos!"

"Yeah!" Johnny threw his fist in the air.

"You girls in for tour tattoos?" Matt wondered.

"Yes!" Val agreed excitedly, catching wind of the guy's conversation. "Especially if AC isn't coming on tour with us again - we need to permanently brand her as one of us!"

"Do you have any tattoos?" Matt asked Aubrey.

She shook her head. "Nope!"

"Are you gonna get one with us?" Jimmy asked.

"Of course!" She agreed. Even though she had no desire to get a tattoo before, she was thrilled to be included in their group and even more thrilled to be included in getting a tour tattoo. It really made her feel like she belonged. "What are we going to get?"

"Hmm," Zacky pondered audibly.

"Let's tattoo this moment! This exact moment!" Jimmy suggested excitedly as he stood up from the pool, water dripping down his legs.

"What are you talking about?" Brian asked with a furrowed brow. "How?" 

"Someone write down the date and exact time! And get the exact coordinates of where we're standing right now!" He explained. "Let's remember this exact moment, in the James Hotel, in New York City, on tour with the greatest people on this earth! Someone pull up the coordinates on your phone – come on!"

Val quickly swiped her phone out of her small purse and opened up her map app then zeroed in on their location, saving the coordinates. She quickly typed a note to herself of the date, November 25, 2007 and the exact time, 12:42:39 EST.

"Okay, I got it," Val announced.

"That was a really cool idea, Jimmy," Aubrey noted. "I'm excited!"

"Fuck yeah," Jimmy acknowledged. "I want to remember this exact moment for the rest of my life."

Suddenly, there was a devious look in his eyes.

"Jimmy," Matt said cautiously. "What are you-"

Before he could even finish his question, Jimmy leaped forward.

"CANNONBALL!" He screeched as he flew into the air, wrapping his arms around his legs as he tucked them to his chest and pummeled straight in the pool, sending outward splashes all over the guys, the girls, and the other guests.

The rest of the group froze, anticipating people getting very upset about their nice attire being soaked and expecting to be kicked out of the bar. But the exact opposite happened. Jimmy seemed to set off a chain reaction as another person shouted and jumped in then another person, until everyone was trying to get in the pool. 

Matt, Brian, Zack, and Johnny all slid into the pool. Matt grabbed Val and pulled her in, so naturally Brian did the same to Aubrey, pulling her in then dunking her under water.

She emerged to the surface with a gasp and an insulted look on her face.

"You little shit!" She shouted as she jumped on top of Brian, dunking him under water as well. 

Though she did manage to bring him below the surface, her small frame didn't get him much further, and he stood up quickly, chuckling as he wrapped his arms around her back and held her close.

She moved his hair out of his eyes, running her hand across his forehead then down his cheeks, cupping his face as the chaos ensued around them.

He smiled sweetly at her and she returned the expression.

"I have so much fun with you," she said softly.

He smiled wider then started to lean in close to kiss her until someone splashed him in the face.

He looked over to see Johnny was the one who had splashed him, with a face that said, _Hellooo what are you doing?_

Brian nodded a 'thanks' at him and gently let go of Aubrey. "Sorry," he said to her.

"It's okay," she smiled then swam over to their friends, where everyone was splashing each other. 

Val was on Matt's shoulders and Zacky motioned for Aubrey to get on his. She did and she and Val played a game of chicken, trying to knock each other into the water.

Jimmy turned out to be the life of the party after that. He had the DJ playing some great hits and remixes and had everyone up and dancing and splashing around in the pool. He even bought an entire bottle of champagne that he shook and sprayed all over the crowd. He was in his element, a whole different side to Jimmy than anyone had seen before. Yes, he was always wild and crazy and funny and quite the social butterfly but he was never leading the crowd into a rave. There were so many people, it was a shock that the roof didn't cave in.

And later, before they headed back to the bus for the night, they stopped in a tattoo parlor and all of them tattooed that blissful moment permanently on their bodies to always remember that stop in New York City.

Val, on her right shoulder blade. Aubrey, on the inside her left forearm, below the ditch of her elbow. Zack, on his left tricep. Jimmy, on his right forearm, above the back of his hand. Johnny, on his calf. Matt, on his ribcage. Brian, on his right bicep.

**A7X **   
**11.25.07**   
**12:42:39 EST**   
**40°43'21"N **   
**74°00'17"W**


	13. Chapter 13

M. Shadows' voice roared through the venue as the band took the stage. Zacky Vengeance and Synyster Gates jumped into their positions on top of the speaker risers, strumming and plucking their guitars accordingly. Johnny Christ bobbed his head as his bass boomed into the screaming crowd. The Rev's arms flailed effortlessly, banging each of his drums in rhythm with his band mates.

Aubrey watched in awe. She started the tour having never heard of Avenged Sevenfold. Now they were her closest friends and her favorite band. She appreciated every detail of their show, because every detail was thought out, planned, and executed with perfection. 

For five guys who loved to party, have fun, and often acted like goofy children, they took their jobs very seriously. 

And despite having very distinct onstage personas, she could always see little glimpses of their true selves as they performed. 

Matt's mannerisms shined through as he used his hands to put emphasis on words in their songs in the same way he put emphasis on words when he spoke. Zacky's serious and focused expression while he played guitar mimicked the way he focused in on conversations. Johnny's stance while playing the bass was nearly identical to the way he stood while he was idle, with his feet apart and slightly leaning back. The wild look in Jimmy's eyes while he played the drums matched the wild look in his eyes when he's about to do something mischievous. And Brian often smirked while he played a particularly impressive guitar riff or dueled guitars with Zack, which looked exactly like the smirk he often gave Aubrey when he was being inappropriate or promiscuous. 

She had really come to appreciate each one of them for who they were, off and on stage. 

_So why the fuck was she so hell bent on going back to Phoenix again? _

Pride, she half-wondered/half-assumed.

Going home was clearly a subconscious decision and determination, because she knew, on the surface, that she wanted to stay with them. 

But what would she do? Work as their merch girl forever? Or at least until Brian got tired of her and broke up with her? Then she'd be in the exact same position she was in now. Hell, did he even _want_ to date her? He mentioned being jealous of Jake, the bartender, so she got the impression that he felt some sort of possessiveness over her. But was it alpha-male-testosterone-driven or was it because he truly wanted to be with her? 

She still felt guilty about the incident with the bartender, except they had made it very clear in the beginning that their relationship wouldn't turn into anything other than one night of casual sex. But it obviously had. It had turned into way more, going on much longer and much farther than she ever anticipated. And it scared her, it filled her to the brim with anxiety. 

And sure, she could walk away with her head held high even if Brian maintained the idea that they were just sleeping together, that it was only sex, and that once she leaves, their relationship would be over. She could be mature and she could handle that. But it didn't mean she didn't want the opposite to happen. 

But he lived six hours away. And he was in a touring band. And he clearly liked sex and was surrounded by it. If she wasn't there – would he move on to the next merch girl or fan that threw themselves at him? Sure, he didn't do it on this tour, but he had her there, physically with him with wide open legs. If she wasn't around, would he still turn them away? 

She sighed, running her hands through her hair, trying to brush off the skittish and erratic thoughts that consumed her and frazzled her and jumped from one extreme to the next. 

And thanks to those thoughts, she felt scattered and edgy the whole rest of the night. 

So when she found herself alone with Brian on the bus after the show, she took advantage of the opportunity to talk to him.

"Hey," she greeted, walking into the front lounge.

"Hey," he glanced over at her then back at the TV. "I'm gonna put on some tunes. What do you want to listen to?" He asked, looking intently at the television with a wrinkled brow, trying to figure out how to play some music. "I'm guessing Jay-Z or Outkast."

She laughed as she hopped up on the small kitchen counter, watching him mess with the remote. "Not tonight, actually. Maybe John Mayer?"

He glanced over at her, smiled softly, then nodded. He pressed a few buttons until John Mayer was playing throughout the bus softly.

"So did you enj-"

This time, it was her turn to have a bad case of word vomit.

"I wasn't going to sleep with him," she interrupted suddenly. 

He paused mid-sentence then shut his mouth, surprised by her interruption and by her words. 

"Jake," she clarified. "The bartender at that hotel. I wasn't going to sleep with him."

But he knew exactly who she meant before she confirmed it. "You weren't?"

"I had toyed with the idea," she admitted, "mostly because I was trying to prove to myself that you and I were just sleeping together, nothing more. But that's not the case anymore. And I had already made up my mind before the vending machine incident, but I'm glad that you would've stopped me anyway. That wasn't what I wanted. What I wanted was you."

Her admission amused him. She always kept him at arm's length unless he was buried deep inside of her, so he really appreciated hearing her open up about her feelings for once.

"It really did turn into something so much more than just sex, huh?" He asked rhetorically, nodding his head in confirmation at his own question.

"What do we do now?" She dared to ask, terrified of his answer.

"You're still going to Phoenix?" He asked.

She nodded.

He exhaled and shrugged. "Then there's not much else we can do."

The clock struck midnight, eliciting a ping from the clock in the back lounge to signal the hour of the new day. But it signaled so much more at that moment.

"It's officially the last day of tour," Aubrey announced softly, watching Brian grab two beers out of the fridge.

"I know," Brian replied tenderly as he twisted the tops off of each bottle and handed her one.

She took a slow sip of the beverage, watching him as he leaned back against the opposite side of the counter and took a swig of his own.

They stared at each other sadly. He really didn't want it to be the last day of the tour already, the last day he spent with her. He didn't have much time to persuade her to stay, but he had to try. And since they were alone on the bus, he had to try now.

"It's not because of me, is it?" He asked.

"What's not because of you?" She wondered, drinking her beer.

"The reason why you're not coming on the next leg of the tour," he clarified. "Is it because of me? Or because of what we've been doing?"

"No, of course not," she answered, shaking her head.

"Cause you know, if you wanted to stop, all you have to do is say the word," Brian informed her. "This doesn't have to continue on the next tour if you don't want it to. I don't expect anything of you. I hope you know that."

"I know, Brian. And that has nothing to do with the reason," she reassured.

He exhaled with a mixture of relief that it wasn't his fault and grief that he still didn't know how to change her mind. 

"Then why?" He wondered, moving over to her, stepping between her legs and placing his free hand on her hip. "Why won't you come with us?"

She frowned. She knew he probably didn't want her to go - hell, he was having great sex on the regular, of course he didn't want her to go - but she didn't expect to see such sadness in his eyes over it.

"It just wasn't my plan," she answered. "I didn't even know it was an option in the beginning. I was doing this tour for a few months then going home, resuming my life in Phoenix. The tour was supposed to give me a break and help me heal. And it did. That was always my plan."

He put his forehead on hers. "Plans can change," he reminded her with a shrug.

She smiled softly. It wasn't that she didn't want to go on tour with them, but she had to be realistic. Tours don't last forever. And even if she continued onto the next part of the tour, she'd always have to go back to her life in Phoenix at some point. She couldn't rely on the band for the rest of her life.

"Kiss me," she whispered, setting her beer down.

As she requested, he pressed his lips to hers, kissing her softly, seeking short little kisses, memorizing the way her lips felt and the way she tasted. He skimmed his tongue along her bottom lip, slipping it inside her mouth when she parted her lips. She cupped the back of his head, tangling her fingers in his hair like she always did.

He set his beer down next to hers, nudging his now free hand under the hem of her shirt, feeling the soft, warm skin of her back under the pads of his fingertips. 

Their kisses were soft and sweet, not hot and heavy. They just wanted to be kissing and touching each other, intimate and close. 

He moved his lips to her cheek, trailing kisses up to her ear then down to her jaw and neck. He inhaled between kisses, memorizing the way she smelled - her skin, her hair, and her shirt as he planted gentle kisses along her collarbone.

He placed sweet kisses up her neck until his lips found hers again. He wasn't going to give this up. Not yet. 

"Stay with me," he mumbled desperately against her lips.

"What?" She asked, panting softly.

He leaned back to look her in the eye. What he wanted to say was: _Stay with me forever._ But those weren't the words that came out of his mouth.

"After the barbecue," he continued. "Stay the night with me, just one more night before you go home."

"What barbecue?" She wondered.

"Matt and Val always have a big barbecue when we get home from tour," he explained. "Just a way for us to see all of our friends when we get back. You're gonna come, right? You have to come and meet everyone."

"Okay," she nodded. "I'll come."

"And you'll stay?" He asked, pressing a small kiss on her lips. "With me?"

She nodded again. "Of course I will."

At her confirmation, his lips crashed onto hers again, this time a little more feverishly than before. Their hands roamed; she tugged on his shirt as he tangled his fingers in her hair with one hand and gripped her hip with the other. Things went from soft and sweet to hot and heavy very quickly. 

They were so wrapped up in each other, so consumed with each other, that they didn't hear the click of the bus door opening. The background music muffled the sounds even further, completely containing Aubrey and Brian in their own little world as their friends' feet climbed the stairs.

Johnny saw them first as he approached the top of the stairs. He didn't know what to do, but he knew he had to do something, so he quickly turned around and tried to push Zack and Jimmy back down the stairs.

"Uh, I forgot my wallet," Johnny said, spurting out whatever excuse he could think of to get his bandmates to turn back around. "We gotta go back and get it."

"Get it yourself," Zack retorted, shoving Johnny out the way and climbing the remaining stairs until he was inside the bus.

Johnny scrambled behind him, grabbing at the back of his shirt to try and pull him back, but it was too late.

"Whoa, what the fuck?" Zack exclaimed in astonishment.

That sound, however, Aubrey and Brian heard loud and clear. They quickly separated their mouths and whipped their heads to the side to see Zacky, who was gawking with wide eyes, next to Johnny, who looked sheepish and apologetic.

"What's going on?" Jimmy asked, coming up behind Johnny and Zack. 

"Brian and AC were just making out," Zack said with disbelief.

A smile spread wide across Jimmy's face. "Whaaat!" His remark was more of an exclamation of excitement than a question.

Brian and Aubrey remained still and wide eyed.

"Wait," Zack turned to Johnny. "Why aren't you surprised by this?"

Johnny shrugged. "I knew they were fucking."

"Wait," Zack turned back to Aubrey and Brian, his eye brows raising even higher, his eyes growing even wider, and his mouth dropping even lower. "You two are fucking?"

"Wait!" Jimmy yelled. "You two are fucking and this piece of shit knew before me?" He pointed to Johnny.

"What is going on here?!" Zack demanded information.

Brian and Aubrey had been silent thus far, but since it was officially the last day of tour, and more than half of the group knew at this point, it was time to just come out with it.

"It just happened," Aubrey said simply with a shrug, climbing down off the countertop.

"The whole time?" Zack wondered. "And you kept it a secret?"

"We didn't expect it to go on this long," Brian said truthfully. "So yeah, we tried to keep it a secret."

"But they kept fuckin' the whooole time," Johnny said, as if he knew the whole story, feeling like he was in the clear now.

"Wow so many things make sense now," Zack said hazily.

"Right?" Johnny added, relieved that someone else finally had clarity with the carnal knowledge. 

"That's why you let this dick walk all over you, huh?" Zack asked Brian, pointing to Johnny. "He was keeping your secret?"

Brian shrugged but nodded.

"You should've just told us!" Zack replied.

Although hindsight is always 20/20, looking back now, Zack was right. They should've just told everyone. It was fun to sneak around but judging by the reactions so far, they should've just told their friends. It would've allowed for a lot more alone time. 

"Are you still not coming on tour with us?" Jimmy asked Aubrey, wondering what this meant for his best friend and the girl he's grown to adore.

"I'm not," she answered. "I really have to get back to Phoenix."

He frowned. "So you two really are _just_ fucking?"

Brian decided to let Aubrey answer that, knowing the answer would be very different from his perspective.

"Yeah," she said, though he detected a hint of sadness in her voice. "Sorry, Jim."

Jimmy's bottom lip stuck out in a pout. But before he could protest the platonic nature of their relationship, Val and Matt sauntered up in the steps, walking into an odd scene that looked like a standoff between Zack, Johnny, and Jimmy, and Brian and Aubrey.

"What are you guys doing?" Valary asked.

"Brian and AC have been fuckin' the whole tour and didn't tell anyone," Johnny blurted.

"Whoa, what?" Matt asked, blinking hard, as if someone had just thrown a punch straight into his jaw and he couldn't see straight.

"It's true," Jimmy confirmed, still smiling like an idiot.

"Holy cow!" Val exclaimed then her face fell. "Hey, wait, I'm kind of pissed that neither of you told me!"

"I know, right?!" Jimmy agreed.

"We didn't tell anyone," Brian said with a shrug.

"Except Johnny," Zack interjected.

Val and Matt looked at Johnny.

"I walked in on them fuckin' in that nightclub that Jimmy puked in," Johnny explained.

"Jesus," Brian breathed in anguish as Aubrey blushed and looked at her feet.

"I'll be damned," Matt commented. "Well, if I never need someone to keep a secret, I know who to find."

"Yeah, really," Val added. "You two pulled that off unbelievably well considering we all lived under each other's noses for months."

Brian and Aubrey smirked. 

"Not to change the subject from this beautiful discovery, but can we go find food now?" Johnny asked, in fact changing the subject. "I'm starving."

A spontaneous round of audible agreements followed from his friends, and surprisingly, the subject changed rather quickly, for which Brian and Aubrey were thankful.

Ø

"So," Matt spoke into the microphone, pausing to give the crowd time to settle down. "This is our last show of the tour and we just wanted to say thanks to all you beautiful motherfuckers for coming out to celebrate this tour with us. It's been the best tour we've ever been on and we really don't want it to end. But if it had to, we're glad it ended here, tonight, with you badass motherfuckers."

The crowd erupted into a loud roar. Brian began playing the intro to their last song of the night, the last song of the tour, the last song of this chapter in their lives.

Val motioned to Aubrey, catching her eye. She signaled for Aubrey to join her on the side of the stage to watch the last song close and up front. She quickly hopped up on stage with Val and watched the guys deliver a beautiful last performance.

Then their drive back home began.


	14. Chapter 14

Matt and Val's house was booming with people before they even arrived. Matt and Jason Berry had snuck over early and, using their spare keys, set everything up as more of a "Welcome Home" party than a "We're Home" party.

Aubrey was surprised to see how big and extravagant Matt and Val's house was considering how down-to-earth and low-key they both were. It was crafted modern-style, very white and bright and open. It was beautiful, and the size and openness made it the perfect house for hosting parties.

Their backyard held a huge patio that led down to a pool and deck that overlooked the ocean, which was about 500 feet away from their house and seemed to be on a private beach. 

"Aubrey!" Matt Berry greeted when he saw her. "My replacement!"

"Hey!" She greeted happily, despite feeling like she did not know him well at all. She did his job on the tour but she only knew him for two whole days.

"Thank you so much for holding down the fort while I was gone," he said kindly to her. "I hope they didn't give you too much trouble."

"Hardly any," she said with a wink then her expression changed to a sympathetic one. "Hey, I'm so sorry to hear about your grandmother."

Sadly, Jason and Matt's grandmother passed away three days ago.

"Ah, thank you," Matt sighed. "I was able to spend so much time with her in her last few months and I owe that all to you."

"It wasn't a problem at all," she said.

"Here, babe," Brian said as he appeared beside her, handing her a beer. 

Matt gave her an interesting glance but didn't say a word about the interesting interaction.

"Thanks," she replied as she glanced at Brian then took the beer and took a sip. She couldn't help but think how handsome he looked in his button-down plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled up, exposing his lean tattooed arms.

"Welcome home, Haner," Matt acknowledged with a nod.

"Thank you, sir," Brian replied, tilting his beer toward his friend. 

They had a quick silent conversation through the expressions in their eyes, something only the closest of friends could do, then Matt smirked.

"Well, let's get this party started, huh?" Matt shouted, throwing his hands up and turning around to the growing group of guests, who simultaneously shouted happily in response.

Throughout the day, she met so many of their friends. She had been so cooped up with the six of them for so long, she found it interesting to see all these other people that they knew and loved. And she especially enjoyed hearing stories about their childhood and adolescence from friends who had known them for years.

That evening, she found herself sitting on Brian's lap in a lawn chair by the pool as all their friends sat around listening to Jimmy tell stories from tour.

"Listen, I woke up snuggling a burrito," Jimmy said with a snorting laugh.

Their friends let out booming laughter as they pictured the scene.

"Johnny was using his taco as a pillow," Val noted, chuckling. "An open taco. As in, he was laying directly in his food."

Despite having lived through the story, Brian and Aubrey were as hysterical as the rest of the guests who were hearing this story for the first time.

"At one point, he sat up and looked at us, and there were pieces of lettuce and ground beef hanging off of his cheek," Aubrey added through her laughs. 

All of their friends were doubling over in laughter.

"Zack's was still wrapped but he was using his as a pillow too," Brian continued.

"I smelled like a soft taco supreme all day," Zack informed. "I couldn't wash the smell off of me."

"That might top falling asleep in your own barf," Tal, one of their friends, stated to Jimmy, who simply shrugged in response.

"How were the shows?" Another friend asked.

As the guys began to talk about how awesome and fun their shows were, Brian's hand began to travel up the back of Aubrey's shirt. It distracted her immensely from the storytelling, sending heat straight to the core between her thighs. 

He made sure to be discreet, not garnering any attention from their friends, who were so invested in telling stories and listening to them that they genuinely didn't notice. He slowly trailed up to her bra, around her side, then down to her hip. He just barely slipped his fingers into the waistband of her pants, and tightened his grip on his favorite place to hold her.

Brian could tell, by the way she subtly fidgeted in his lap, that she enjoyed his touch a little too much. And she wasn't the only one. Just feeling the soft, warm skin of her back against the calloused pads of his fingertips sent blood flowing straight to his groin. Not to mention the troublesome friction she caused every time she squirmed against his crotch. He was rock hard in a matter of sixty seconds. 

"Food's ready!" Matt Sanders and Matt Berry called from behind the smoking barbecue pit. 

That grabbed everyone's attention.

"Fuck yeah, let's eat!" Jason shouted as he rose to his feet, starting a chain reaction of guests standing to their feet and making their way over to the patio to prep everything for dinner.

Aubrey started to rise but Brian held her to his lap.

"You can't get up yet," he said gruffly. 

"Why?" She asked, though she had an idea.

He thrusted his hips ever so slightly, pressing his erection into her ass.

"That's why," he said simply.

Feeling wicked and equally as turned on, she discreetly gyrated in his lap. His hips jerked reflexively as an involuntary grunt escaped his lips and his fingertips dug deeper into her side.

"Ohh, you're gonna pay for that later," he whispered haughtily, exhaling. "Okay, this isn't gonna work." He nudged her to stand up then did the same. "Just walk in front of me."

She laughed but did as he requested and walked in front of him, blocking anyone from seeing just how much she turned him on, staying that way just long enough for him to soften to the point that it was no longer obvious.

They joined the large group of friends, filling their plates with barbecued meats and scoops of all the side dishes, then took their seats at the end of one of the big picnic tables.

"Damn, Aubrey, how are you not 500 pounds? Looks like you put away as much food as the rest of us," Matt Berry teased, acknowledging the amount of food on her plate.

"You should see her drink," Jimmy added.

"Whaaat?" Matt Berry laughed. "A girl who can eat _and _drink? No wonder you did so well on tour!" 

"She and Val drank us under the table multiple times," Johnny admitted shamefully.

"My girl!" Matt reached across the table to high-five her.

She smiled greatly, adoring the comradery, and high-fived him back.

Brian cherished seeing her get along so well with his friends. It was like she belonged, like she had always belonged, like she had _been there_ the entire time. Had he really only known her for four months?

Ø

After everyone ate, the heavy drinking began. Half the guests began setting up multiple drinking games outside, dangerously around the pool, while the other half began cleaning up the mess from the barbecue. 

Inside the house, Aubrey helped Valary wash and dry dishes as people brought them inside. The high stacks of plates and utensils were dwindling down quickly thanks to the team effort with Val cleaning the dishes and Aubrey drying them. 

Once the two girls were alone, Valary took an encouraging deep breath. "Are you sure there's nothing we can do to convince you to come back out on tour with us?" 

Aubrey glanced over at her friend, unsure of where the sudden request came from.

"You just fit in so well with all of us on tour," Val explained, handing her a plate to dry. "And now I can't help but notice how well you're fitting in with all of our extended group of friends as well."

Aubrey sighed. "I know. Y'all have been so great to me."

"You could stay with Matt and I if you don't want to permanently move here," Val offered. "Well, I'm sure Brian would want you to stay with him, but if you don't want to do that, we have room for you here."

"It's not that I don't want to," Aubrey began softly. "It's just... My life is in Phoenix." 

"Well, you have a whole month to get things squared away in Phoenix before the next leg of the tour starts," Valary reminded her. 

"I..." Aubrey tried to find the words to express the thoughts that she hadn't even truly realized she was having. "What if Brian doesn't want me on tour?"

Without hesitation, Valary laughed. "You're joking, right?"

Aubrey shrugged, drying off a plate. "Okay, I mean, _now_ he does, but it's made things complicated. What if something happens between us and we end up hating each other, yet we still have to be stuck on a tour bus together for weeks?"

"You're both mature adults," Valary pointed out. "I can't imagine either of you ever hating each other, unable to be in the same room together, even if things do go sour between you two."

And though she had to admit that Valary had a point, it didn't feel right to invade Brian's life like that. Even if he wanted her to. They weren't dating, they weren't a real couple, and it would be so stupid for Aubrey to attach herself to him like that. Even if she wanted to.

Aubrey shrugged again. "I just don't think I'm ready for it yet."

"Hey, I understand that."

"If things progress between Brian and I, maybe," Aubrey inclined. "But, to be honest, it doesn't feel right to go back out on tour with y'all. It especially doesn't feel right to just up and move to Huntington. Not yet, at least."

"I hear you," Val conceded. "You're thinking more clearly and responsibly, with your head and not just your heart. I respect that. Just know you always have a place to stay and a family to help you get on your feet if you ever do want to move here. Whether Brian is in the picture or not."

Aubrey smiled sweetly. "Thank you, Val. Really."

Val winked and turned off the sink. "The rest of the dishes can wait. Let's go see what everyone is getting into."

Ø

Brian watched from the sidelines as Aubrey and Jimmy teamed up against Matt Berry and one of their friends, Jackie, as they battled in an intense game of beer pong. Both teams each had one cup left to sink. It was Aubrey's turn to toss her ball and if it landed in the cup, she and Jimmy would win.

"Alright," Jimmy encouraged quietly, rubbing his hands together as he leaned toward Aubrey. "You got this, AC. You got this."

Aubrey rolled the small ping pong ball between her hands, eyeing her goal carefully, strategizing in a game that really didn't require strategizing. 

Matt and Jackie danced and moved in funny and distracting ways to throw Aubrey off, but she was focused. She lifted her hand and flicked the ball with ease. It sailed through the air and landed directly into the red solo cup in front of the opposing team.

"YES!" Aubrey shouted, throwing both of her fists into the air.

"YEAAAHHH!" Jimmy screamed, pointing forcefully at his friends on the other side of the table. "DRINK THAT SHIT, BERRY!"

"Dammit!" Jackie groaned in defeat and dropped her own ball. 

Reluctantly, Matt Berry picked up the cup and downed the warm beverage, relinquishing the game to the winning team.

Jimmy and Aubrey high-fived. 

"That's my girl," Brian encouraged, high-fiving her as well. 

His words sent fluttering butterflies in the pit of Aubrey's stomach.

"I want a rematch!" Jackie insisted with a whine. "We were so close!"

"NOPE!" Jimmy shouted simply. "We won. AC and The Rev OUT." He opened his closed fist, mimicking a 'mic-drop' move and walked away.

"He's such a butthole," Jackie laughed playfully. "Good game, girl."

"Thanks," Aubrey smiled. "You too."

"Hey!" Jimmy shouted from a distance. "It only works if you walk away too when I say AC and The Rev out; otherwise it's just The Rev out!"

"Oops," Aubrey laughed, quickly moving away from the table and closer to Brian.

"Nice beer pong skills," he teased, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"Thanks, babe," she replied with a wink.

He stilled and stared at her. She looked at him with slight confusion. His heart thumped in his chest and a smile spread across his face. Hearing the word "babe" leave her lips got to him in a way he never anticipated. 

Seconds later, he slid a hand to her neck and his other arm around her waist to pull her close. He pressed his lips to hers and kissed her cutely and playfully since their friends were nearby, but she could sense the heated undertones.

"Call me babe again," he murmured against her mouth.

"Why?" She wondered, running her fingers through his hair. 

He nipped at her bottom lip, sucking it into his mouth and letting it go with a smack. "Because I love the way it sounds coming out of your mouth." 

A smile twitches at her lips, as warmth flooded between her legs. "Babe." 

"Mmm," he hummed into her mouth. "Again." 

"Babe. Babe. Babyyy." The last one came out far flirtier and haughty than she intended. 

Reflexively, his hips jerked into hers, as his dick twitched in his pants. He held her face in his hands, looking into her eyes. She was so beautiful, so perfect.

Damn, he never expected her. He was going about his business, like he always did, on tour, doing his thing with his friends, having fun, and suddenly there she was. And now, he couldn't figure out how he ever lived without her. How had they lived on the same planet for so long and never knew each other existed until four months ago?

"Come home with me," he whispered between kisses that were growing more and more urgent as he held her face. "I need you, Aubrey. I need you in my bed."

"Take me." She nodded. "Take me home, Brian."

She quickly said her goodbyes to everyone, hugging each one of them for extended periods of time, promising to call, text, and stay in touch, promising to visit and come to all their shows that were within a reasonable drive for her. And then, in a hurry, Brian led her out the door.


	15. Chapter 15

Minutes later, Brian was carrying Aubrey through the door of his home. She got a quick glimpse of off-white walls, high ceilings, and dark wood floors, coated by a large plush sectional sofa and matching chair and large entertainment center. Everything flowed, decorated accordingly, with framed and matted paintings and photos hanging on the walls. She was surprised to see that it wasn't the bachelor pad she was expecting. It was a home. Brian's home.

She placed soft kisses on his neck and shoulder as he carried her up the stairs to his bedroom, an open room, cool and quiet, illuminated only by the mellow glow of a table lamp. He set her down at the foot of his bed then kissed her. With a sense of urgency, he attacked her clothes, his hands tugging on her pants, her fingers fumbling and desperate to undo the buttons on his shirt, his mouth never leaving hers. 

Everything became a blur of airborne, discarded clothes and chaotic kisses. Finally naked, he wrapped a strong arm around her waist, lifting her up and laying her back onto his cool, billowy down comforter. 

Brian took a second to appreciate the sight of Aubrey on his bed, a place he imagined her many times, naked, her dark hair splayed across his white comforter as she looked up at him with the sweetest, most innocent of smiles. It made his heart flip in his chest and his own smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

Remembering his overwhelming desire to be inside of her, he climbed on top of her, running his hands up her side, placing hot kisses all along her stomach. 

Everywhere he touched felt like fire burning her skin then shooting straight to her core. He kissed his way up her body until their mouths met again, frenzied and desperate.

Their connection felt so much more intense and intimate and meaningful in his room, his home, his sanctuary. Being in the place where he lived made everything so much more personal, made him so much more vulnerable. 

Using his knee to separate her legs, he nestled between her thighs. But before it could go any further, he suddenly slowed down, nibbling on her lower lip before he raised his head to look at her. With his arms bracketing her head, he looked into her eyes, fingers playing with her hair. 

"How did I go so long without knowing you?" He wondered with a gentle voice. 

"Yet I feel like I've known you my whole life," she countered as her hands slid gently down his toned waist. 

Between their abdomens, his cock throbbed hot and firm. His heart thumped against hers between their pressed chests. 

Without warning, he thrusted in deep, invading her, filling her so much a soft gasp escaped her lips. 

"God," he groaned. "You feel so good." 

He groaned low as he began pumping in and out of her. She quickly forgot about anything in her life that ever mattered and she started to wonder why the hell she was leaving this guy, this amazing beautiful soul who made her feel so good, inside and out. 

She was going back to Phoenix, but she had no intention of this being the last time they were together. She would find a way back to him somehow at some point. But in the meantime, she needed to remember every little detail about him, focusing on the smell of his skin, the feel of his breath, hot and flushed on her cheek, the way he tasted as he kissed her desperately, the feeling of him pushing in and pulling out of her pulsating sex. And the moans and groans that escaped his mouth, meeting her ear with his hot breath. 

Each time he thrusted, a little helpless grunt escaped his mouth, as if he needed more of her, more of her moans, more of the roll of her hips, more of her kisses. He could never get enough of her. 

Her pleasure built in a slow, blissful swelling of heat and desire that had her shivering and whimpering into his mouth. She clutched at the comforter beneath her, throwing her head back, welcoming the impending orgasm.

"Yeah," he whispered against her neck between kisses, encouraging her to let go. "That's my girl."

He gripped her hip to hold her in place as he drove into her, watching her come undone with his burning eyes. 

Her orgasm hit her like a ton of bricks, rendering her weak and helpless. She grabbed at his shoulders and hair. "Brian. I..." She panted, unable to catch her breath as her hips rolled. "I need..." 

"I know, baby," he groaned as if hearing her silent plea. "I know." 

Her hips revolved, bucking to meet his as he forcefully thrusted into her.

He grabbed her hand, forcing her to stay with him as he grinded his hips into hers.

He shuddered then levered himself up on his arms and pounded into her, his flesh slapping against hers. 

"You're so fucking perfect," he rasped, moving his hips with a roll, raw and greedy.

The sensation of a second orgasm punched her without notice, making her arch up. Her hips chased his, her hands clawing at the hard swells of his shoulders. 

Brian came with a long, low groan, jerking his hips as he emptied himself inside of her. He panted and grunted into her neck, holding her to his chest, pulsating, coming, giving her his all, his heart and soul, wanting her to take it all back to Phoenix with her.

Ø

Aubrey sat upright against the headboard, clad in only her lacy panties and Brian's flannel shirt from that day, which was unbuttoned and just barely covering her breasts. He was prone on the bed, curled up beside her with his head in her lap, hugging her thighs. He gently caressed the soft skin on her leg with his thumb as she ran her fingers through his hair, running her fingernails along his scalp.

"Shit," Brian groaned. "Now I see why Zack liked it so much when you played with his hair."

She chuckled.

A soft silence fell over them as they indulged in each other's presence, knowing it would only last for a few more hours.

She glanced down at him. He was staring at the wall, undoubtedly with many thoughts running through his mind. His eyelashes moved gently as he occasionally blinked. She brushed his dark hair away from his face, wanting to see it more clearly.

Her eyes traced the defined edges of his jaw, his lips in a solemn thin line. She eyed his adorable soft freckles and subtle beard stubble. His structured cheek bones. His deep eyes. All things that she appreciated collectively, but even more so as she took the opportunity to notice them individually, all of the things that made him so attractive to her.

And that attraction was only intensified knowing how pure and gentle his heart was. He had so much love to give and he didn't even know it.

She watched as his eyelids grew heavy and his eyelashes began to flutter. With the sweetest, most content and peaceful face, he drifted off to sleep. 

Aubrey continued to play with his hair until he was in a deep sleep, then she carefully snuck out of his grasp, leaving him undisturbed. She walked over to the French doors on the other side of the room and peered out the window. He had a view of the beach that was equally as impressive as the view from Val and Matt's house. In fact, his house was closer to the ocean than their house. 

She opened the doors and stepped out onto the balcony, inhaling the clean air and the scent of the ocean, salty and fresh. This... This was her heaven. 

In a new city, right on the beach, with great friends, and an amazing guy. That day and that night, the rest of the world didn't exist. Her problems, they didn't exist. She felt whole, healed, and happy. 

She had made the right decision to go on tour. And the proof was all around her. Now, she needed to go back home, prove to herself that she was okay, and she could figure out a way to be with Brian again. 

The floorboard creaked behind her, grabbing her attention. She glanced over her shoulder to see Brian, shirtless, with tousled hair and sleepy eyes, leaning against the doorframe. She couldn't stop the smile that spread across her face.

Sometimes there are small moments in life that can't be forgotten. Moments that seem meaningless and minuscule but they impact a life in such a strong way. A way that won't ever be forgotten. Waking up to Aubrey's clothes strewn around his room and her standing half naked on his balcony, wearing his shirt, smiling at him, with the sound of the waves crashing in the background and her hair blowing softly in the gentle wind. The intense emotion that the sight made him feel... That was Brian's seemingly small, yet unforgettable moment. He'd never forget the way she looked, the way he felt, the smell of the ocean, the sound of his heartbeat thumping in his ears.

He moved out onto the balcony, coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist, slipping one hand into her open shirt and onto her bare skin. He kissed her head softly, nuzzling his nose into her hair, just above her ear. He hugged her tighter then looked out at the ocean in front of them.

"I wish I could freeze time, freeze this moment," she said softly, placing her hand on his. 

He nodded, understanding the sentiment, wanting to do the same, wondering if this moment was _her_ small and unforgettable moment as well.

"I've never been so content," she sighed, leaning her head into his.

"Me either, sweetheart," he replied in a whisper.

She turned around in his arms and pressed her lips to his, kissing him with enough heat and passion to start a fire. She wrapped her arms around his neck, tugging on the hair at the back of his head. He sighed happily into her mouth, then gently picked her up. With her legs tight around his waist, he turned around and brought her back into his bedroom to properly say his goodbyes.

Ø

The next morning, Brian sat on the edge of his bed staring at the packed bag by the bedroom door. He could hear Aubrey freshening up in the en-suite bathroom. His gaze fluttered from the bag to the clock on the wall. His time with her was slowly coming to an end. He could feel the bile creeping up his esophagus. 

His hands fidgeted with a loose thread on his shirt and his knee bounced nervously. As soon as she opened the bathroom door and appeared in his line of vision, he panicked.

"Don't leave me," he blurted softly.

She stopped in the doorway and furrowed her brow.

"I'm sure I'm just caught up in the moment and absolutely out of my mind, but you can't leave me. Not after yesterday, not after last night. Don't leave. Don't you dare," he rambled.

She frowned. "Brian..."

"I know it's scary," he rationalized. "I know it's a risk and it's a crazy idea, but it's not like you and I have ever done things in a conventional, logical way. We can work out the rest of the kinks along the way." He took a deep breath. "Just stay."

Aubrey sighed. "Brian, you can't just wait until five minutes before I leave to beg me to stay. If that's what you wanted, why didn't you say something sooner?"

"I did! I've been bringing it up," he defended.

"No, you haven't! You've asked me why I'm not staying but never actually asked me to stay," she insisted.

"I'm sure I did," he retorted, wondering if he ever articulated that he wanted her to stay.

"And _I'm_ sure you _didn't_," she countered, moving over to him. "I would remember you asking me to stay."

He stared into her eyes sadly as he pulled her between his legs by her hips. She placed her hands on his shoulders as he gripped her thighs just under her butt. Simultaneously, they both sighed. 

"Would it have made a difference?" He asked softly. "Would you be staying if I had asked sooner?"

She frowned, reaching up and cupping his cheek. "I don't know. I guess not."

He sighed.

"Give me some time, okay?" She requested just above a whisper, still cupping his cheek, caressing it with her thumb.

He nodded, sadly, giving her the sincerest puppy dog eyes.

"It's not goodbye forever," she promised. 

"Better not be," he mumbled, leaning into her touch.

"Promise it's not," she reiterated.

He nodded, glancing over at the clock, trying not to show his disappointment on his face. "We should probably get going."

She nodded but didn't move, not ready to say goodbye, but not able to stay either. 

The drive to the bus station was silent. Brian held Aubrey's hand the entire time, but neither said a word. What more could be said anyway?

After they arrived and her ticket was purchased, Brian carried her bags to the waiting area outside the station, where the bus would eventually park and load with passengers. But just as he set her bags down, someone's yelling grabbed their attention.

"COME ON, WE'RE GONNA MISS HER." A familiar voice belonging to a tall, skinny friend broke through the air.

They looked up to see Jimmy, Val, Matt, Zack, and Johnny all running from the parking lot to the station. The bus pulled up at that moment, officially marking the end of their time together.

"What are you guys doing?" Brian asked, confused yet amused, as they got closer.

"We wanted to give Aubrey an official send off," Val said, out of breath.

Johnny breathed heavily, hunched over with his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath. "See her," he spoke between short breaths. "One more time." 

"You guys," Aubrey cooed as tears welled up in her eyes.

"Stop it or I'm gonna cry," Val teased as she pulled Aubrey in for a hug.

Aubrey wrapped her arms around the girl who kept her company in a sea of boys for the last few months. A girl who she knew was a genuine soul, a true friend, even if she wasn't necessarily her best friend.

"Thank you for everything," Aubrey said.

"Any time. You know where to find us," Val whispered. "If you ever need anything, you know where we are."

Aubrey nodded then pulled out of the hug.

Next was Matt, who pulled her in for a quick hug then let go and ruffled her hair. "Don't be a stranger, okay?"

She smiled and nodded then turned to Zack, who gave her a sweet hug. "Take care of yourself. And thanks for the head scratches."

"Anytime," she laughed.

"My girl," Johnny purred, pulling her into his arms. "Come visit."

"I will," she promised.

It was Jimmy's turn next.

"AC Black," Jimmy cooed, wrapping his arms around her. "Forever the sixth member of Avenged Sevenfold, yeah?"

"Yeah," she agreed, nodding into his chest.

"Gonna miss the fuck outta you," he said softly. 

"Gonna miss you too, James," she whispered back.

He kissed the top of her head then pulled out of the hug, giving her a sad smile.

Then it was time to say goodbye to Brian. They had said their most intimate goodbyes last night, but her heart still ached.

He wrapped his arms tight around her and she did the same, hugging his waist. He kissed the top of her head, inhaling her scent one last time. She quickly memorized the way his heart beat against her cheek as she rested it on his chest.

"See you," she said, pulling out of the hug, refusing to say goodbye.

"See you," he whispered.

"I'll see all of you, okay?" She promised. 

They all shouted agreements and confirmations then she boarded the bus. She quickly found a window seat and sat down, looking out the window at her friends. They all waved to her, smiling but with sorrow.

She waved back as the bus's engine roared to life. Her heart leapt into her chest when the vehicle began to move. Aubrey held Brian's gaze as the bus began to drive away. She saw as Matt patted Brian on the back and Val squeezed his hand, his friends comforting him kindly. 

And she was alone. With no one to comfort her but herself. She continued staring out of the window, long after they were out of her sight, with silent tears streaming down her cheeks.

Moments later, she felt a vibration in her pocket. She pulled out her phone; she had received a message from Brian - a message that only sent more tears tumbling out of her eyes, a message that read:

** _Miss you already._ **


	16. Chapter 16

Aubrey was not the same person that she was before she left for tour. 

She realized that four days ago, as soon as she stepped off of the bus in Phoenix. But little things had continuously reminded her of it ever since she had gotten home. Little things like her inability to fall asleep before midnight or the way the silence of her vacant apartment nearly drove her insane. 

She went from sharing a small confined space, full of constant noise, with six other people who liked to be in each other's personal space, to living alone in a quiet apartment. Her apartment had seemed small before she left but now it felt big and open. And empty. 

She missed the guys and Val. She missed the late nights and loud music and hours of laughter. She even missed the shitty fast food and incessant amounts of alcohol. 

She was different. But she didn't necessarily consider that a bad thing.

Despite the carefree nature and lack of responsibilities while being on tour, Aubrey felt it had made her more mature, less materialistic, more easygoing, and less worrisome. She realized life was short and did not have to be so cookie-cutter; she wanted to have fun and be around happy, uplifting people, not gossiping over mimosas and manicures. But she had to try to get back to her old life. She had to, at least, try. 

Jessica, Tiffany, and Lauren contacted her almost immediately after she had gotten home, wanting to see her and hang out and catch up. She had been dodging their calls and invites, not really ready to see them, but she couldn't take the silence and solitude of her apartment any longer, so she finally agreed to meet up with them. 

She strived to keep her head held high and her chin in the air as she sauntered into the high-end restaurant to meet her old friends for brunch, but it already felt foreign and unlike her. Unlike the "new" her.

Aubrey spotted her friends already seated at a table in the far corner, probably snootily requested for privacy. Tiffany, with her long blonde hair and blue eyes, was leaning forward, talking with her eyebrows raised. Lauren, with her short blonde hair and deep brown eyes, was listening intently. And Jessica, with her brown hair and brown eyes, was listening with wide eyes. Just by the looks on their faces, Aubrey could tell they were gossiping. She cringed but kept walking toward them.

When they noticed her, they stood up to greet her with squeals and smiles and hugs. They were her three "closest" friends (or at least they were before the tour), yet their hugs felt unwelcome and forced. Especially on Aubrey's end. 

"We ordered you a mimosa!" Tiffany said happily as they all sat back down. 

"Thanks," Aubrey said kindly, staring at the orange beverage, wishing it was actually an Irish Car Bomb.

"Well?!" Lauren began. "How was the tour?!" 

"It was really fun," Aubrey hesitated with an uncertain smile, wanting to be honest but also reserved. For some reason, she didn't want to share her adventures, her new friends, or the new side of her with them. "I saw some cool cities and made some really good friends." 

"Aw," Jessica cooed. "Well, you've got good friends here!"

Aubrey smiled, though she felt her stomach turn. They wouldn't understand. They would never understand the way her life had changed and bettered. 

"Did you meet any hot guys?" Tiffany wondered.

Aubrey couldn't help but smile as Brian immediately popped into her thoughts.

"You did!" Lauren gasped. "Spill!"

All three girls had raised eyebrows, wide eyes, and huge smiles, like they couldn't wait to hear the juicy stories.

"It was no big deal." Aubrey tried to play it cool. "He's the guitarist."

"Wait..." Jessica's brow furrowed at the realization. "He's in the band? The band you went on tour with?"

Aubrey nodded, noticing Tiffany's face falling as well.

"You slept with one of the guys in the band you were working for?" Tiffany reiterated in disbelief.

"Yeah," Aubrey answered with a shrug as regret trickled down her spine.

"Gross, you were a groupie?" Tiffany retorted. "One of many, probably."

"He was sleeping with other groupies too?" Jessica asked with shocked wide eyes. "Did you guys have like threesomes or something?"

"What? No," Aubrey answered with a sigh, wondering why the hell she opened up her big mouth about Brian in the first place. She _didn't_ want to share this information with them - why hadn't she kept her mouth shut? "He and I were only sleeping with each other."

"Sure..." Jessica rolled her eyes. "You girls remember my friend from college, that girl in Delta Zeta who was a total slut? Madison Whatsherface?" 

The other two girls nodded their heads. Aubrey simply stared in disbelief. Had she really been friends with these people before the tour? Had she really been okay with these types of shallow, petty conversations before?

Jessica continued her story, "She dated this guy in a band who went on tour, and he slept with so many other gi-"

"Well, we weren't - _aren't_ \- dating," Aubrey interrupted. "We were just sleeping together."

"So, just like a friends-with-benefits type of thing?" Lauren wondered casually, trying to settle the intense questioning from the other two.

Aubrey felt guilty diminishing it to that level. It was so much more than that. But she didn't want to explain herself further and she wanted to stop talking about it, so she simply replied, "Yeah, basically."

"Ugh, I hope you used condoms," Tiffany said with disgust.

Aubrey swallowed hard, trying to keep a smile on her face. She finally understood the underlying reason why she wanted to keep her relationship with Brian so secret while on tour, why she feared the reaction of the guys and Val. Because it was the exact reaction she got from her "friends" and she anticipated the guys and Val would have the same reaction, but they didn't. 

Lauren gave her a sympathetic smile, knowing their other two friends were taking things a little too far with their condescending remarks and tones. 

"Anyway, how have y'all been?" Aubrey asked, changing the subject. "Anything interesting happened while I was gone?"

"We have SO MUCH to tell you," Jessica chimed, more than ready to begin talking about herself. "So right after you left..." 

Aubrey's eyes glazed over as she tuned out her friend's story. Her heart pounded heavily in her chest as she scanned the girls in front of her, enthralled by the story about Jessica telling off a crazy (but probably innocent) girl who came into Jessica's bridal shop. Her old life felt like an alternate universe, like a bad dream in an unfamiliar place, surrounded by strangers. 

As fate would have it, her phone vibrated in her pocket. She pretended to continue listening to Jessica ramble about the drama as she pulled out her phone and checked the message. It was from Valary. Aubrey never opened a text so quickly in her life. 

Seconds later, a picture appeared on screen. It was all the guys gathered around a pool table chugging Irish Car Bombs with the caption: **_We miss you, AC!_**

Aubrey felt tears welling up in her eyes as she stared at her phone. That picture couldn't have come at a better time or at a worse time. She missed them so much and desperately needed that message from them, but she also missed them so much and desperately wished she was with them, where she felt understood and welcomed and accepted.

A weight fell onto her shoulders. Why the hell did she come back to Phoenix? Why the hell couldn't she go on tour with them? She didn't have a job, didn't have a dog, didn't even really have friends. What was keeping her there?

Nothing but stubbornness.

Ø

In the 24 hours after she met her "friends" for bunch, Aubrey didn't do much other than lay on her couch and watch Lifetime movies. Despite her apprehension in going to brunch, she hoped it would do her some good, getting her out of the house and forcing her to be social, but all it had done was drive her further into her funk and remind her that she was in Phoenix when she really wanted to be in Huntington Beach. 

An unexpected knock at her front door interrupted her pity party. Bemused, Aubrey stood and walked over to her front door. She wasn't expecting any company, so who the hell was knocking? Silently, she prayed that it was a surprise visit from Brian, but when she opened the door, it revealed Lauren on the other side.

"Hey," her friend greeted with another sympathetic smile. 

"Hey," Aubrey replied. "What're you doing here?"

"Just wanted to stop by and say hi," Lauren answered, holding up a tall, skinny bag. "I brought wine. Can I come in?"

"Of course, yeah, sorry," Aubrey laughed off her bad manners and let Lauren in. "So what's up? I know you didn't just stop by to bring me wine."

"I just...I feel bad about the way brunch went," Lauren stated with a sigh. "Jessica and Tiffany were so harsh about you sleeping with the guitarist - so hypocritical when they sleep with any guy who flashes his wallet at them. I just wanted to see if you were okay."

Aubrey smiled. "Yeah, I'm okay. I shouldn't have opened my big mouth. Deep down, I knew that they would react that way. But I'm fine."

"Are you sure? I could tell you felt off from the start, and Jess and Tiff were trying to act as if everything just picked right back up from when you left, and it was obvious that things are different now."

Aubrey felt a little defensive. "Well, yeah, you don't just live a different life for four months then come back the same person. A lot changed." 

"I know," Lauren said, smiling. "And I don't expect you to be the same person. But you're still my friend."

Aubrey smiled appreciatively.

"So, I brought a bottle of wine and I want to hear all about this guy," Lauren said. "You immediately lit up when Tiff asked if you met any guys, and despite how casual you tried to seem, I could tell it was way more than just sex. So spill."

Aubrey sighed and laughed. "Alright, uncork it. I'll get the glasses." 

Lauren squealed happily then began to open the bottle of wine. She poured two glasses then they both went to sit on the couch.

"Okay first thing's first - what's his name?" Lauren asked, curling her feet under her and getting comfortable on the couch.

"Brian," Aubrey answered, smiling.

"Ooh, show me a picture!" Lauren insisted.

Aubrey reached over to grab her phone then pulled up a cute picture they took together in New York and showed it to Lauren. 

"Oh my god," Lauren cooed with dreamy eyes. "I mean, he is so not my type but he looks like the incredibly hot bad boy who is secretly such a gentleman."

"Nailed it."

"And you insist that you were just sleeping together?" Lauren questioned with suspicion.

"I don't know," Aubrey sighed. "The first time we had sex, he was helping me sort out merch and come up with a system for inventory after the main merch guy had to go home, and we spent all night together. Honestly, we just got caught up in the moment and suddenly realized that it was too late to turn back without things being weird, so we had sex but simply vowed to never do it again."

"But you did do it again," Lauren pushed.

"And again. And again." Aubrey continued. "We slept together practically the whole tour and kept it a secret because I was afraid of the way that the rest of the band and Val, their tour manager, would react. So, we kept it to ourselves but never really talked about it until they all found out. So in reality, we _were_ just sleeping together. But it felt like so much more."

"You think he felt the same way?" Lauren wondered. "Like it was more than just sleeping together?"

"He seemed to feel that way more than I did," Aubrey answered honestly. "He wanted - or wants - me to go back on tour with them when they leave again in a month. Hell, he even wanted me to stay in Huntington Beach until then." 

"Holy shit. Wait, why do I feel like there's a 'but' in there somewhere?" Lauren asked.

Aubrey shrugged. "From the start, I was dead-set on coming back to Phoenix once the tour ended. It was supposed to be a four-month get away to clear my head and try something new. I did it, and I felt better, and I don't know why but I just _had_ to come home. He's incredible, but he lives six hours away and is on tour a lot."

"Do you not want to deal with the distance and traveling or what?" Lauren wondered.

Aubrey shrugged again. "They all invited me to go back on tour, and even though it seemed like they genuinely wanted me to go, I just didn't want to crowd his life like that. Not yet. We aren't in a real relationship; it just didn't feel right."

"But he _wanted _you to go with them?" Lauren sought clarification.

"I think so."

"And he _wanted_ you to stay with him until the tour started?" Lauren continued.

Aubrey nodded.

"Sounds like you two were never _just_ sleeping together. Not on his end. What the hell are you still doing here?"

"I don't know, Lauren... I don't want to be on tour with him and it all explodes in our faces," Aubrey explained. "I can't pay rent on my apartment but not live here. But I also can't give up my apartment and just move in with someone I'm not even dating. I don't want to invade his life - I don't want to overstep."

"Sounds like he _wants_ you to invade his life, and it's not overstepping if he _wants_ it! It's not like he can come here and invade your life, thanks to his career. But if he could, I have a feeling he would," Lauren insisted.

Would he? Aubrey couldn't help but wonder. Would she feel like he was crowding her life? Definitely not. She didn't have much of a life to crowd. 

"Did the rest of the band and crew want you to go back on tour? And do the merch or whatever?" Lauren asked.

Aubrey nodded. "Yeah, they were so great to me. They all protested my leaving and begged me to continue on as the merch girl."

"Sounds like they all want you there, but I can't really tell if **you** want to be there or not," Lauren admitted. 

"I can't either," Aubrey answered honestly. "I mean, I want to, but let's face it - this is the real world, and I don't have my shit together, and I'm never going to get my shit together if I'm throwing caution to the wind and going on tour with a metal band and sleeping with the guitarist like it doesn't mean anything." 

"You know, you're young, you have plenty of time to get your shit together in the future, Aubrey..." Lauren began with a sigh. "I think you should go with them."

"You do?"

Her friend nodded. "I mean, it's not like you're invading his life if you're going on tour for a purpose, to handle the merch. It may turn out wonderfully. But if it blows up in your face instead, then at least you tried. You'll never know unless you actually try. So, go pack!"

"They aren't even leaving for another few weeks," Aubrey replied with residual hesitation.

"Perfect. That gives you a few weeks to grow a pair and tell Brian how you feel - because newsflash - if he knows that you don't want to go on tour or stay with him in California because you're not dating, he might just date you! All this running away might have him thinking that _you_ don't want to date _him_," Lauren told her. 

She had to admit that her friend had a point. 

"Plus that gives you plenty enough time to square things away here and figure out what to do with your apartment," Lauren added.

Aubrey frowned. Val had said the same thing. Despite how minuscule the words were, it stunned her to hear someone who didn't know all of the details about the tour or their relationship utter the same words that Val, someone who did know all of the details, uttered. 

"Nothing is permanent," Lauren said. "You can come home if it doesn't work out, but you have to try."

Aubrey could physically feel herself relenting and giving in to Lauren's encouragement. 

"You're right," Aubrey sighed. "I have to at least try." 

Ø

The next day, Aubrey sat on her kitchen counter with her legs crossed, clutching her phone in her hand, staring at Brian's contact information. She was surrounded by silence, which usually slayed her ever since she had gotten home, but she craved it at that moment. She needed to keep her thoughts straight during the impending phone call. No noise, no distractions. 

She needed to tell Brian that she had changed her mind and wanted to go on tour again. She wanted to run it by him before everyone else to make sure he was still okay with it. And if he was, she was going to tell him how she felt about him. 

After taking a deep breath, she tapped the number and began the call. 

The phone trilled twice then he answered. 

"Hey you," he greeted happily but seemingly out of breath.

"Hey," she replied sweetly. "What are you doing?"

"Just got back from a run on the beach," he said. 

"Please tell me you're shirtless and sweaty," she pleaded playfully. 

He chuckled. "I am actually." 

She sighed, picturing the heavenly sight of Brian's bare torso and tattoos glistening with sweat as he ran shirtless on the beautiful beach near his cozy home. 

"I was just about to call you actually," he told her.

"You were?" Aubrey asked, surprised.

"Yeah," he sighed with slight disdain, completely changing the tone of their phone call in a matter of a second. "Matt Berry officially found a new merch assistant. I haven't met her yet but, just so you know, I hate her already."

Every inch of Aubrey froze, except her heart, which sank deep into the pit of her stomach. She had already been replaced. Just like that.

She blinked a few times, trying to wake up from the nightmare that she suddenly teleported into. But when she realized that she was not dreaming, she swallowed hard and tried to keep her tone neutral. "He did?"

"Yeah," Brian exhaled. "I mean, he wasn't on the last tour so he doesn't realize how much it sucks, but I guess he had to do it."

She wanted to cry, but really, it was her own fault for initially refusing to go on tour. Until now. But now she had already been replaced. She had already been replaced.

Her heart pounded when she realized what that meant - she no longer had a job on tour. 

If she went out on the next leg, she would just be going for Brian. 

And she definitely wasn't going to do that. Not yet.

"So what's up with you?" He wondered.

"Oh. Just wanted to see what you were up to," she answered with a sigh, relenting her true intention behind the phone call.

"Trying to keep up my stamina for when tour starts back up, but I hate working out," he said. "But I hate wheezing and panting on stage after every song even more, so..."

She didn't say anything, trying to ward off her tears.

"AC?"

She swallowed hard. "Sorry, still picturing you shirtless and sweaty on the beach."

He laughed. "What are you doing?"

"Just hanging out at home," she replied.

"Please tell me you're shirtless and sweaty," he mimicked.

She let out a gentle laugh. "You wish."

"Baby, I always wish that," he admitted. 

She chuckled. Despite her heartbreak at the news of being replaced, he still managed to make her laugh. And for that she was thankful. 

She took a deep breath. Okay, maybe she wouldn't go back on tour with them for this next round. And probably not even the next. But she realized that she didn't want to completely give up on him. 

However it made her uneasy that he had the power to utter words to break her heart **and** make her laugh all within ten minutes. 

Where was her backbone? Where were her balls? 

When they got off the phone, she began updating her resume and filling out job applications. She cannot rely on Brian or a tour for her happiness and self-worth. She had to get her shit together before she could go back on tour or even progress in their relationship.

She had to.


	17. Chapter 17

"So what, you're just not going?" Lauren half-asked, half-shouted through the phone.

"I can't go just for Brian," Aubrey defended, clutching her phone to her ear. 

"The hell you can't!" Lauren huffed. "I mean, are you just going to do the long-distance thing for the rest of your lives?"

"I don't know," Aubrey shrugged. "If he wants that."

"He obviously doesn't want that!" Lauren replied. "He wants you with him!"

Aubrey sighed into the phone.

"Look, I love you, girl," Lauren exhaled with a tad bit more sympathy. "But you are fucking stubborn. You need to man up before he gives up. You need to either tell him how you feel about everything or suck it up and go be with him."

"I mean, why the hell can't we just do a long-distance thing?" Aubrey began to feel defensive.

"Do what you want, Aubrey," Lauren relented. "I'm just saying - he's not going to wait around forever. Not when he's surrounded by tons of other ready and willing women."

Lauren didn't know if Brian was the type to just shack up with the next girl in line, and she knew her words would be harsh, but her friend needed a swift kick in the ass to realize what she was doing and what she was risking.

The words stung Aubrey's ears, but she knew Lauren was right.

"I just can't," Aubrey stated. "I have to find my backbone. I refuse to get into a relationship with someone when I feel so lost and uncertain of everything. It's not fair to me but it's really not fair to Brian. And I owe him way more than that. He deserves so much better than that."

Lauren sighed. "I'm sorry, Aubrey. You know what's best for you. I just want to see you happy."

"I will be," Aubrey said. "I just have some things to work on first."

Ø

**One Month Later**

"Come on, guys," Val encouraged, clapping her hands at the five members of Avenged Sevenfold who drug their feet toward the bus like half-dead zombies. "Get a move on."

"Noo," Jimmy protested with a moan as he dragged his duffel bag on the ground behind him. "Too early to think, too early for load-in, too early to be awake." 

"Not if you never went to sleep the night before," Johnny added, raising his eyebrows at Brian as they threw their stuff into the storage compartment of the bus.

Brian snorted and rolled his eyes at Johnny's remark, leaning against the side of the bus with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. 

It was 4:30 in the morning, pitch black outside, and they were about to head out for the next leg of the tour. Which is usually exciting once the sun comes up and everyone feels human again. But as the new merch assistant walked passed him, Brian wasn't so sure that would happen for him today.

Her name was Hannah. She seemed young but she was cute, with short red hair and bright green eyes. She certainly looked the part of an A7X merch girl, way more than Aubrey ever did, with her thick eyeliner and black-on-black wardrobe and black combat boots. She seemed nice enough but she wasn't Aubrey. And although that wasn't her fault, Brian could tell the others felt the same way as the day went on.

Val was friendly but kept her conversations with Hannah short and strictly business. Matt and Zack tried to chitchat with her, but it sounded forced and uninspired. Johnny greeted her kindly but didn't exchange any further dialogue. And Brian was fairly sure that Jimmy didn't say a _word_ to the poor girl all day. 

"I don't think I really give her a fair chance," Jimmy whispered to Brian as he plopped on the couch next to him. "But I don't like the new merch girl."

Brian chuckled, flipping through a Schecter guitar catalog. "Me either, dude."

"Figured you'd understand," Jimmy nodded, crossing his arms across his chest and staring at her.

When Matt and Jason Berry had left the last tour, the guys had no choice but to take Aubrey under their wing and help her get situated. But now that the Berry brothers were back on tour, Hannah had them to guide her through it.

Brian figured they would eventually get used to her and warm up to her, because Avenged Sevenfold has always been a welcoming family, but she would never be Aubrey. She would never be AC Black, the sixth member of their supposed biker gang. That was for certain.

Ø

That night, Aubrey sat at the desk in her bedroom, music blaring, typing away on her laptop, filling out more job applications. The most promising of which was for an assistant editor position for a lifestyle website based out of Phoenix. It wasn't something she had ever dreamt of doing, but she wanted to try her hand at writing and editing, and if it went well, she could move up to a position where she could eventually work from home. Or from a tour bus.

The ping of an incoming text message pulled Aubrey's attention away from her computer. She picked up her phone and smiled when she saw she had received a message from Brian.

Despite the distance, the guys and Val had been keeping in touch regularly. Aubrey talked to most of them daily, especially Brian, Jimmy, and Val, and she was still a part of the "tour" group message as well. 

She opened the text from Brian. It was the first day of their new tour and she hadn't heard from any of them all day. She was ashamed to admit that she worried they would officially move on without her soon. But it made her happy to see Brian texting her already. Curiously, she quickly opened the message. 

** _The new merch girl isn't nearly as good in the sack and her blowjobs are sloppy._ **

She let out a loud cackle and shook her head then texted back: **Ha-ha.**

The phone began to vibrate and ring, startling her.

"Hello?" Aubrey answered as she got up and walked over to her stereo to turn down the music.

"Jeez, are you at a nightclub?" Brian asked, chuckling.

"It's four in the afternoon," she stated simply with a laugh.

"I don't know what time the nightclubs in Phoenix open for business," he defended.

"Possibly at night?" She suggested.

"Smartass," he teased. "Where are you really? What was all that noise?"

"I'm at home, nerd. And it's not noise! It's Beyoncé!" She defended. 

"Whatever it was, it was loud," he said. 

"HEY! IS THAT AC?" She heard Jimmy's voice holler in the background.

"Yeah," Brian muttered away from the phone.

"TELL HER I SAID HI!" Jimmy shouted.

"Jimmy says hi," Brian's voice spoke back into the phone.

"I heard. Hi, Jimmy," she replied.

"She said hi," Brian spoke away from the phone again. 

Simultaneously, she heard a ton of voices begin to shout all at once.

"Jesus. Everyone else says hi too," Brian said with a laugh.

"Tell everyone I said hi," Aubrey chuckled.

"She says hi!" Brian shouted over their yelling.

She heard a shuffling noise, what sounded like a door shutting, and then silence, indicating Brian had shut himself in a quieter room, probably the back lounge.

"You should see the new bus, babe," Brian sighed into the phone.

"It's nice?" She wondered.

"Yeah," he exhaled. "It's great."

"I'm glad," she said sweetly.

A short silence fell over them then Brian sighed loudly.

"Dammit, Aubrey, I didn't think I'd miss you this much," he muttered.

"Yeah," she agreed. "It sucks going from having mind blowing sex whenever you want, to none at all. For me at least." She joked but she was also serious.

"Yeah. That's not all I miss though," he admitted.

"Me either," she sighed. 

"I mean, I've been missing you nonstop since you left but now that we're back on tour and you're not here... I'd kill just to see you behind our merch booth again at this point." he explained. "I can't stand it. You're supposed to be here." 

"I know," she replied with a frown, feeling guilty for being so stubborn. 

"Everything was just better when you were around," he said quietly.

She was trying hard to express her feelings, to be vulnerable with Brian like he was being with her, but she could feel the need to joke and keep the air light and playful creeping up into her chest. It was sweet of him to bare his emotions, but she could feel herself resisting, wondering if he was just sex-deprived. 

"You're just saying that because when I was around, you were getting laid on the regular," she retorted playfully.

"See, I thought that was why too," he admitted. "I told myself to stop being such a horny bastard. But then I talk to you on the phone and my whole day brightens up. And I realized it's not the sex. It's not even how beautiful you are. It's just you. You brighten my days with just your voice. You make everything better."

Her heart ached as tears filled her eyes. She felt guilty for being so stubborn. She really did want to better herself and be stronger on her own, but she was denying herself happiness and denying Brian happiness. It was not fair no matter what she chose.

"Aubrey?"

"I miss you too," she said softly. 

"I know you do, sweetie," he replied, knowing it wasn't easy for her to admit that. "What're you doing?"

"Just hanging out at the apartment," she admitted. "Filling out job applications."

"What're you wearing?"

She laughed. "Jeans and a t-shirt."

He grunted with heat. "Sexiest girl alive."

"I think I detect a hint of sarcasm," she replied.

"It's been nearly a month since we had sex," he reminded her. "You could wear a full-body jumpsuit and I'd still think you were the sexiest girl alive."

She laughed, but again, she felt guilty. He really was sex-deprived. And of course the thought of him sleeping with someone else nearly crushed her but did she really expect him to go without sex while she took her sweet time getting her shit together? They weren't even dating - she wasn't even ballsy enough to go back out on tour with them - did she really expect that of him? 

"Where are you applying to?" He asked.

"What?" Aubrey asked, snapping back into the conversation.

"You said you were filling out job applications," he reminded her. "Where to?"

"Oh," she remembered. "It's for an assistant editor position with a local lifestyle website."

"Really?" Brian sounded surprised. "Is that something you've been wanting to do?"

"Not really," Aubrey shrugged. "I think I would enjoy it though. I'm just looking for something new, something that allows for growth and a potential career. I'll be able to work from home eventually too."

"That sounds great!" Brian encouraged. "I'm happy for you."

"Thanks, babe," she replied. 

She could practically hear him smiling through the phone at the use of her pet name.

"Excited for the show tonight?" She asked. "First show of the tour!"

"Always," he admitted. "Would be more excited if AC Black was still our merch girl though."

"Eh, I hear she's a total slut," Aubrey joked, again on the defense of emotions.

"Yeah, I heard she was constantly trying to bone someone in the band," he played along.

"She was?" Aubrey asked with shock.

"Yep," Brian confirmed, chuckling.

"Figures," she said with faux disgust. "I bet she was trying to get with the guitarist."

"Probably the guitarist with the big dick," he continued. 

"Oh, she tried to sleep with Zack?" Aubrey teased.

"HA. HA. HA." Brian shouted with sarcasm.

She let out a loud wild giggle. 

Oh, how he missed that sound.

Ø

The pinging sound of an incoming text message had quickly become Aubrey's favorite sound. Especially when it indicated a video message from Valary.

Aubrey watched the short clip of the guys playing on stage, her heart swelling with pride. The sound was distorted and the video was a little shaky, but she could make out the usual sights - Matt leading the crowd, Johnny bobbing his head, Zack and Brian dueling guitars, and Jimmy's arms flailing behind his oversized drum kit.

She replied to Val: **Thank you for sending me that! Makes my heart so happy! They're killing it - as always.**

Valary responded: **_Figured you'd want to know how your boys were doing tonight - hope you know how much we ALL miss you!_**

On the brink of tears, Aubrey sent Val a bunch of heart emojis.

Hours later, as Aubrey was fast asleep in her bed, her phone began to ping again. And again. And again.

Blindly and in a confused daze, she reached over and grabbed her phone off of her nightstand to check her messages.

Brian H.  
2:14 AM  
**_Mis yu_**

Brian H.  
2:16 AM  
**_Sorry stupid drunk, jus missin yu_**

Zack B.  
2:18 AM  
**_You have got to come see us soon - GATES WILL NOT SHUT UP ABOUT YOU_**

Zack B.  
2:18 AM  
**_I mean he's drunk as shit but holy fuck._**

Zack B.  
2:19 AM  
**_Just realized you're probably asleep - sorry!!!_**

Aubrey replied to Zack: **It's okay! I will never be mad about waking up to texts from y'all.**

Then she replied to Brian, a little less apprehensive than usual about flirting: **Miss you too, baby boy.**

Ø

A few days later, Aubrey sat on her bed, on the phone with Brian. She had been spending a lot of time on the phone with him lately, which she adored, but she couldn't help but wonder what he was doing when they weren't on the phone. 

Had he reverted to his old touring ways of hooking up with random girls? Had he actually moved on to the current merch girl? She knew she had no right to be mad - she was the one staying home when he was begging her to be with him - but she was still curious.

"What're you doing?" Brian asked. "Let me guess - at your apartment, alone."

"Um," Aubrey looked around. "Yep." 

"I'm worried about you," he admitted quietly. 

"Why? I'm fine," she insisted. 

"You're just always at home and always alone," he reminded her. "You need to get out, go have some fun." 

"I'm good," she replied. "I get out and have fun. Sometimes."

"You know, you don't have to come out and stay for the whole tour," he reminded her. "You can come out for just a few days at a time."

"I know," she said. "How was the show last night?" 

"It was good," he sighed. 

"That's good," she replied, knowing he was annoyed with her for changing the subject. She was stubborn and terrible at communicating - she was surprised that he hadn't given up on her yet. Well, for all she knew, he had. "How is everyone else doing?"

"Everyone's great," he answered. "They ask about you all the time, even though I know they talk to you at least every other day."

She laughed. "Yeah between Jimmy and Val, I stay updated on what everyone is up to."

"Then why'd you ask me how they were doing?"

"Just trying to keep the conversation going so I don't ask if you've met anyone yet," she carelessly blurted, immediately scrunching her nose at her word vomit.

"Don't be ridiculous, Aubrey," Brian scolded. "I don't know what the hell's going on between us but I'm not just going to go out searching for girls until we figure it out."

She hesitated for a minute but had to ask, "What _is_ going on between us?" 

"Seems like the same thing that's always been going on between us. Pretending like it's nothing when it's really everything. Ignoring the fact that we're infatuated with each other. Keeping our distance unless we're fucking."

She sighed. "Nailed it."

He wasn't ready to have this conversation. He knew it wouldn't go the way he wanted and he knew she would crack a joke soon and throw her guard up in a matter of seconds, so he decided to beat her to it. "Speaking of... we're on our way to Canada, have you ever driven to another country for a booty call?"

She chuckled, which made him smile, because damn, he missed her laugh. 


	18. Chapter 18

Hot water cascaded down Aubrey's back as she rinsed the soap off of her body, praying that the heat and steam from the shower would relax the tense muscles in her back and ease her nerves. She had an interview for the assistant editor job at three o'clock that afternoon and for some reason, she was so nervous she could hardly stomach breakfast that morning.

As she stepped out of the shower and wrapped one towel around her torso and another around her wet hair, she heard her cell phone ping repeatedly in her bedroom. When she emerged from the bathroom, she hurried over to her phone to see she had received 13 text messages. All from Brian and Jimmy.

Brian H.  
12:45 PM  
**_Can you Skype before your interview? I want to see your pretty face and wish you good luck._**

Brian H.  
12:47 PM  
**_Correction: WE want to see your pretty face and wish you good luck. Jimmy busted me trying to Skype you without him._**

Brian H.  
12:50 PM  
**_Dear god please get on Skype before he loses his mind._**

Brian H.  
12:51 PM  
**_He's getting worked up. Sorry for the onslaught of texts you are about to receive from him._**

Jimmy S.  
12:52 PM  
**_AUBREY FORD_**

Jimmy S.  
12:52 PM  
**_SKYPE US_**

Jimmy S.  
12:53 PM  
**_HELLO_**

Jimmy S.  
12:53 PM  
**_AC BLACK_**

Jimmy S.  
12:54 PM  
**_TODAY PLEASE_**

Brian H.  
12:54 PM  
**_Save me. SOS._**

Brian H.  
12:55 PM  
**_He's out of his god damn mind. Why is he so obsessed with you?_**

Jimmy S.  
12:56 PM  
**_I CAN'T HELP IT_**

Jimmy S.  
12:56 PM  
**_I MISS YOU SO MUCH_**

Aubrey cackled as she pulled Skype up on her computer, laughing so hard that tears stung her eyes. The call didn't ring for long before Jimmy's face filled her entire screen.

"AUBREY!" He screamed when she appeared on the computer.

She wiped the tears from her eyes as she laughed and waved.

"Hi my sweet Jimmy!" She greeted. "Where's Brian?"

"Who cares? I'M HERE!" He yelled.

"I know and I'm so excited to see you, but I miss Brian too, you know!" She explained.

"Ugh," Jimmy grunted as someone shoved him out of the way. He finally sat back in his seat to reveal Brian sitting directly next to him.

"Hey pretty girl," Brian greeted with an adorable smile. "Ready for your interview?"

"Not quite," she laughed, gesturing to her hair body and hair, both still wrapped in a towel.

"You should wear that to your interview," Brian encouraged. "Hot girl shows up in just a towel - HIRED."

"Blech, get a room," Jimmy teased, making a grotesque face.

"I TRIED TO," Brian retorted. "SOMEONE KICKED DOWN THE DOOR TO JOIN."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Jimmy brushed him off. "Aubrey, if you get this job, you have to write an article about us."

"I won't be writing any articles for a while, Jim," she laughed. "I'll just be editing them."

"Okay, well as soon as you get to write articles, write one on us!" He pleaded.

"You got it, babe," she agreed.

"Sweet!" Jimmy pumped a fist in the air. "Do you miss us?"

"Only every second of every day," she promised.

"We miss you too," he replied then leaned closer to the computer so his face took up the whole screen again. He began to whisper. "The new merch girl suuucks. She's not funny, she's not feisty, she doesn't suck Brian's dick, and she fucks up the merch inventory every single night. There's always shit EVERYWHERE. It takes her forever to get her shit counted and packed up."

Aubrey laughed, though the news _did_ make her feel a tad bit better. "I'm sorry she's not as fabulous as I was."

"I mean, I _guess_ I forgive you," Jimmy said with sass as he rolled his eyes. 

"Can I get a word in please?" Brian asked.

"Oh, for fuck's sake," Jimmy groaned then the video on the computer got real shaky until Jimmy was out of sight and only Brian, who was smirking hilariously, was seen.

Aubrey chuckled. 

"THERE," Jimmy shouted from a distance.

"Did he just throw a hissy fit?" Aubrey asked.

"Yeah, but we're alone now," Brian smiled. "Show me your boobies."

Aubrey laughed but quickly opened her towel and flashed him. His eyes widened; he was not expecting her to actually do it.

"Oh yeah, they're gonna hire you," he replied, nodding.

"Your turn," she teased.

Brian quickly lifted up his shirt and showed her his chest.

She let out a loud laugh. "Not quite what I meant, but I'll take it. I miss licking those tattoos."

"Ugh," he grunted. "Stop before I get a boner."

"You started it," she protested.

He shrugged.

"Okay, I have to get dressed," she sighed. 

"Call me after," he requested.

She made a nervous face but nodded. "Sure will."

"Hey, don't worry," he reassured. "Be yourself. They're gonna love you. You're gonna knock 'em dead, babe."

Her smile widened. "Thank you."

He blew her a kiss then the connection ended.

A dreamy sigh escaped her lips. Before they went back out on tour, she and Brian texted every few days and talked on the phone probably once a week. But now that they were back on the road, it seemed like he wanted to talk to her constantly. He sent her multiple texts throughout the day and called her nearly every time they were both free and available to talk. It made her beyond happy to know she was still on his mind while girls were throwing themselves at him night after night.

Ø

Inhale. 

Exhale.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Aubrey sat in her car in the parking lot of the editing office, gripping her steering wheel with shaky, clammy hands. She glanced at the clock. 2:50 PM. She had ten minutes to compose herself. 

Suddenly her phone began to ping and vibrate like crazy as it sat beside her in the cup holder. She glanced at it, she had six text messages. 

Johnny S.  
2:50 PM  
**_GOOD LUCK, AC!_**

Matt S.  
2:50 PM  
**_You got this!!! Good luck!!!_**

Jimmy S.  
2:50 PM  
**_Game time! Show 'em who's boss, my girl!_**

Zack B.  
2:50 PM  
**_Good luck, AC!!_**

Valary D.  
2:50 PM  
**_You got this, girl! Deep breath, chin up, be yourself!_**

Brian H.  
2:50 PM  
**_Figured you could use a little coordinated encouragement - knock 'em dead, babe!_**

She replied: **Love y'all so much! I needed that! Here goes nothing...**

Feeling a little lighter and more confident, she opened her car door and stepped out. She inhaled the fresher air and smiled.

"I got this," she said to herself before she sauntered toward the building. 

Ø

When Aubrey's face appeared onto Brian's computer a few hours later, his heart thumped in his chest with nerves. She was smiling but her eyes were red and it looked like she had been crying. He couldn't read her expression right away, and he didn't know what to say or do. He knew he would feel extremely helpless if she didn't get the job and was upset, and he couldn't be there to reach out to comfort her.

"Do you want to tell just me first?" He blurted out before even greeting her, not sure if she'd want to tell everyone right away if she didn't get the job.

She shook her head, still smiling. "I want to tell everyone."

He felt relief as a smile spread across his face, taking that as a good sign. "You got it?" He asked softly. "You got the job?"

She smiled and nodded quickly.

His heart swelled with pride as he let out the breath he hadn't realized he was holding in. "So fucking proud of you."

She sniffed. "Thanks."

"You look like you've been crying," he pointed out. "Why are you crying?"

"Relief, I guess," she laughed. "I didn't expect to get it and when they immediately offered it to me, I was so relieved and shocked. As soon as I got in my car, I just sobbed. I don't really know why." 

"I hate seeing you cry, but as long as they're happy tears, I feel better," he replied. 

She smiled and blew a soft kiss.

"Want me to bring you to the front so you can tell everyone?" Brian asked.

She nodded again.

There was a lot of movement on her screen then she heard commotion. 

"Hey guys," Brian announced as he turned the screen around so she could see everyone. "Aubrey has some news!"

From the looks of it, the guys were getting ready to take the stage in a couple hours. Jimmy was stretching his arms. Johnny was putting on his shoes. Zack was cleaning one of his guitars. Matt and Val were sitting at the table looking at the screen on Val's computer. An unfamiliar girl, who Aubrey assumed was the new merch girl, was sitting on the couch playing on her phone. Jason Berry was standing up in the kitchen eating a sandwich. She didn't see Matt Berry anywhere.   
  
The sight made her miss them immensely more than usual. Seeing them in their element without her made her sadder than usual too.

Collectively, the guys and Val all dropped what they were doing and glanced over at Brian and the computer then smiled and greeted her.

"What's your news?" Johnny asked.

"I got the job!" She announced happily.

As everyone began shouting happy exclamations and words of congratulations, Brian was surprised to realize that he still felt helpless. He wanted to hug her and spin her around and celebrate with her, but he couldn't. And it felt just as shitty as not being able to hug her and comfort her when she's upset.

That night after the show, in the only way they knew how to celebrate with her, they all sent her pictures of themselves downing Irish Car Bombs in her honor. And though it wasn't the same as being with them, she could feel their love even from far away.


	19. Chapter 19

Brian should've known the day was going to be long and trying based on the events that happened not even a full sixty seconds after he woke up. He was just beginning to stir away from unconsciousness when the thunder clapped. He was in just enough of a daze that it startled him and he flew upright in his bunk, smacking his head on the "ceiling" of his bunk. Bad omen number one.

"Fuck," he muttered, rubbing the insulted spot on the top of his head.

"Ha, scared much, Gates?" Zack teased as he passed by Brian's bunk. 

Zack, who was hardly even coherent before noon, who was usually curled up in the fetal position and groaning at anyone who spoke to him before noon, was teasing Brian... Before noon... Bad omen number two. 

Before he could even process what had just happened, Valary screamed bloody murder. Rushing to her rescue, Brian jumped out of his bunk. But as soon as he hit the ground, his foot landed on the thick metal shank button on someone's shorts that were haphazardly left on the ground. 

"Ow, what the fuck!" He spat. 

Simultaneously rushing to his girlfriend's rescue from the back lounge, with way more at stake, Matt shoved Brian out of his way, throwing him into the bunks and stumbling back over the thick metal button again. 

"Motherfu-" Brian grunted as Matt flew past him. He glanced down to recognize the shorts as Jimmy's. "God dammit, Jimmy."

Jimmy poked his head through his curtain, all wide-eyed and messy-haired, glanced at Brian's angry face, down at the ground, then back up at Brian, slowly putting the pieces together. 

He wrinkled his brow. "What, you stepped on the button? Jesus, Brian, it's a button."

And now Jimmy was picking on him? Brian narrowed his eyes at his best friend, flipped him off, then continued to the front lounge to see why Val had screamed. 

Jason and Matt Berry were laughing hysterically as Val stood in the corner with her arms crossed, glaring at them. 

"What the hell is going on?" Brian asked, grumbling, already pissed off from the fact that Val was seemingly fine despite having screamed, causing chaos and injury (to him at least).

"The Berrys scared the shit out of her," her boyfriend explained. 

"I was sitting here, alone in the dark, working on my computer, and these assholes came up on either side of me and grabbed me," Val spat angrily. "So yeah, they scared the shit out of me." 

Brian sighed, relieved that she was okay, but annoyed that his day had gotten off to such a rocky start. "I'm going back to bed."

But his luck wouldn't have it. Trying to sleep was useless. He stared at the ceiling of his bunk for nearly an hour before he just gave up. 

He reached in the small cubby and grabbed his phone to text Aubrey. 

** _Today sucks already. Wish you were here. _ **

He dropped his phone onto his chest and tucked his hands behind his head as he shut his eyes and exhaled deeply. 

It was getting harder and harder for him to need Aubrey yet not have her. 

Before he knew it, he had fallen back asleep. He woke up a few hours later as the bus came to a startling halt. The first thing he did was check his phone. No message from Aubrey. Which was strange. She was usually pretty quick to text him back. And it was a Thursday, so she should've been awake and at work already.

There was a dull pang in his gut at all of the potential reasons why she wouldn't text him back. But more than anything, he hoped she was okay. 

Hardest part of not being in close proximity to loved ones? Not being there to make sure they're okay. 

He wanted to text her again and even thought about strategically coming up with a message that would get her to respond without seeming too eager or worried, but with Aubrey, he didn't want to play games. There wasn't any room for games. So he just texted her again.

** _Hope your day is going well. Call me when you get off._ **

"At the venue!" Val called throughout the hallway of bunks. "Running a little behind schedule so we need all hands on deck for load in!"

Brian sighed, tucked his phone into his pocket, then climbed out of his bunk to get to work.

"Aw, fuck," Johnny groaned as they stepped off the bus. "The parking lot is all gravel."

"Son of a bitch," Brian muttered, equally as perturbed.

"Gravel parking lots," Zack sighed, stepping next to his bandmates. "The bane of a guitarist's existence."

Johnny cleared his throat. "Ahem!"

"And a bassist's," Zack added with an eye roll.

"Ahem," Jason Berry cleared his throat, appearing beside the group.

"And a roadie's," Zack finished, chuckling and shaking his head.

"The quicker we start, the quicker it'll be over," Brian grumbled and headed to grab his equipment.

Pushing his amp cabinet over rocky gravel was annoying, but it shouldn't have irritated Brian as much as it did. Every couple of seconds, he had to stop and re-adjust because a wheel either hit a dip in the gravel, refused to roll over a larger rock, or got a small pebble stuck in its socket. And each time he had to stop, his blood began to boil.

The annoyances of a rushed and difficult load-in only built on top of the day's frustration. Although every event of the day had been small and minor, they were adding up to a tension headache in the center of Brian's forehead.

With the help of Val, the Berry brothers, and the new merch girl, the guys loaded all of their gear into the venue fairly quickly despite the initial issues. But after having to maneuver over the gravel, Brian's patience and mood were officially depleted.

Avenged Sevenfold performed a quick and sloppy soundcheck then everyone went their separate ways to find food or a shower. Brian stayed at the venue, not hungry and not caring if he smelled like shit. He checked his phone again to find there was still no response from Aubrey.

So he texted her for a third time.

** _Haven't heard from you all day, so either you're ignoring me or you're dead. I don't know which one would crush me more. I guess the dead one. ;) Text or call when you can. _ **

As Brian was changing his strings and re-tuning his guitar, Johnny and Jimmy walked back into the venue with bags of food, sitting on guitar cabs and stage risers as they opened their food wrappers. 

"Gates, we got some extra tacos," Johnny announced. "Want any?"

"No," Brian glanced over his shoulder at his bandmates. "I'm not trying to shit myself in the middle of the show."

"I hope I shit myself in the middle of the show," Jimmy countered with a wicked smile and a mouth full of Taco Bell.

Moments later, Jason, Matt, and Zack emerged from the green room, freshly showered, and joined them, sitting atop of random equipment. 

"Why are you idiots eating Taco Bell two hours before the show?" Jason wondered as he hopped onto a nearby table.

"Cause we're fucking hungry," Johnny retorted. "Why else?"

"I don't know, looks like you want to shit yourself during the show," Jason retorted.

"That's what _I'm_ going for," Jimmy joked as he chomped a huge bite of a burrito. 

While his friends joked around, Brian kept his distance, not feeling social or in a particularly joking mood. He was rearranging his pedalboard when he felt his phone vibrate against his hipbone. Quickly, he yanked his phone out of his pocket and sighed with relief when he saw Aubrey's name flash on the screen.

"Hey you," he answered quickly, stepping away from the guys. 

"Hey," She replied sweetly. "I only have a minute to talk but oh my god, were you worried about me?" 

He laughed, already feeling lighter after simply hearing her voice. "What? No, I was just... I was thinking maybe..." He sighed, relenting. "Okay, I can't lie... Yeah, I was worried about you."

"That's adorable," she teased.

"It's not adorable," he huffed.

"You're adorable," she added.

"Uh, I'm not adorable. I'm tough and manly. I'm a badass," he joked.

"An adorable badass," Aubrey countered. 

"Alright, hush, just don't tell the guys please. Especially Johnny. Or Jimmy."

"Your secret is safe with me."

"**Anyway**. How's work?" He asked, wanting to change the subject immediately.

"Good, but long. I've been so busy. I'm submitting my first big edit today, I'm about an hour away from my deadline," she informed him.

"Are you done with it?" He wondered.

"Almost," she answered.

"Well what are you doing, woman? You've only got an hour! Go finish it!" He insisted, laughing. 

"I will, I just wanted to call you now because I'll be working late and you'll probably be on stage by the time I leave here," she explained. 

"Call anyway," he sighed, preferring to see a missed call than no call at all. "Just in case."

"You got it," she said. 

"Go finish your edit," he demanded. "Good luck!"

They said their goodbyes then hung up. Although Brian felt loads better after hearing her voice, there was a dark cloud that still hovered over his head. It cast a shadow on him that made him anxious for the rest of the day.

He tried his hardest to leave the cloud behind when they took the stage, but it stayed over him, making him feel weird all throughout the show. He felt off. And he messed up. Way more than usual. 

He craved more of her voice. He needed her to soothe his frustration. So the first thing he did when he exited the stage was grab his phone. He had a missed call and a voicemail. His whole day had been off and he so desperately needed more interaction with Aubrey to ground him again. As he mindlessly walked to the green room and began to wipe the sweat off of his face and neck with a towel, he listened to her voicemail.

_"Hey, B."_ Something about the way she called him 'B' nearly made him faint. 

_"I'm just leaving work. I submitted my edit and the chief was so impressed! I'm so relieved."_ He smiled with pride. She was such a badass. 

_"I'm so tired I could cry but Lauren wants to take me out to celebrate so I guess we're going out for drinks."_ It should've been another omen how his stomach fell. That news should've made him happy, he was always wanting her to get out and have some fun. But he felt doom in the air. 

_"Call me after the show. I'll either be drunk or in bed by the time you call but... call anyway... just in case." _

He couldn't help but smile at her words. But he quickly dialed her number, wondering if he'd reach her drunk or asleep.

"BRIAN!" Aubrey answered loudly. 

Oh, yeah. Definitely drunk. And judging by the amount of background noise that came from her end, she was still at the bar. 

"Hey you," he replied with a laugh. 

"Ohmygod is that him? Let me talk to him!" A muffled female voice spoke in the distance. 

"No, ohmygod," Aubrey replied away from the phone. 

Brian smirked. Couple of drunk valley girls. 

"How was your shooow?" She slurred into the phone. 

"It was good," he answered. "Sounds like you're having fun!"

"A blast!" Aubrey replied. 

"Two more shots for the pretty ladies!" A male voice spoke in the distance. 

Brian heard Aubrey's friend let out a "Woo!"

"Who's buying you shots?" Brian asked, unable to suppress the jealously that darted up his chest, burning like bile. 

"Oh it's just the bartender!" Aubrey explained casually. 

Casually. Nonchalantly. But Brian's mind immediately flooded with memories of another bartender buying her drinks. 

_"So you're in town for the night, yeah?"_

That asshole bartender, Jake, with the fucking golden retriever puppy, popped into his head. 

_"I get off around midnight. I know that's late for dinner but maybe you'd join me for a late-night coffee? Or hell, even a nightcap in the bar?"_

Sure, Aubrey ended up in bed with Brian at the end of the night, but that's because he was there. He made his move so she would end up in his bed and not the bartender's. But now that he wasn't there, whose bed would she end up in?

"Brian, are you still there?" Aubrey yelled. 

"Yeah," he spat. "But you're clearly busy so I'll let you go. Just..." he sighed. "Call me tomorrow or something."

Intoxicated and unable to recognize the spite in his voice, Aubrey shrugged. "Well, okay!" 

Brian hung up without a goodbye then threw his phone on the couch and exhaled a deep breath as he raked his fingers through his damp hair. He felt frustrated. The phone call that was supposed to help his mood only made it worse. And now he was worrying about Aubrey's loyalty. Questioning it even. 

And to make matters worse, she didn't owe him her loyalty. They weren't dating. She had no idea how much he loved her. And he was too much of a coward to demand she stay with him on tour, to run after her and bring her back to California, and even too much of a coward to just make things official, exclusive, whatever it's called nowadays. 

Of course she played her own part in all of it, but he was the man in the relationship, he was supposed to protect her and provide for her and he couldn't even admit his feelings to her. 

The phone call sent him over the edge. He was done. 

He rubbed his face with sheer frustration.

"Yo," Jimmy poked his head around the corner. "This groupie just brought us a fuck ton of ecstasy. You in?" 

Without hesitation, Brian nodded. "I'm in." 

Ø

The sun was just barely beginning to peek over the horizon when Brian regained consciousness. He didn't even have to open his eyes to know that he had overdone it partying last night. Big time. 

The weird feeling that had been sinking into the pit of his stomach over the last twenty-four hours had gotten immensely worse. It was a hollow yet tight feeling that he typically got toward the end of a tour, when he was burnt out and exhausted and homesick - a feeling that typically drove him to do something stupid in an attempt to keep things exciting so he wouldn't get too depressed on the road, even though it usually caused the opposite effect.

Would he ever learn?

Probably not.

Finally brave enough to open his eyes, he slowly blinked. 

Dread filled his stomach as he looked at a naked female body asleep on the double bed three feet away from the bed he was in.

No way. No way he had done something _that_ stupid. He would never. 

Right?

Ignoring the pounding in his skull and the sudden throbbing pain in his hand and cheek, he bolted upright in bed only to realize that the naked body was sleeping on top of his naked best friend.

He exhaled with relief.

In hazy flashes, memories from the previous night flooded his brain. He vaguely remembered Jimmy and the busty brunette getting him high as a kite. Then, as he laid in his and Jimmy's hotel room, drinking whiskey to intensify his intoxication, they busted up into the shared room, already half naked. He remembered glancing over as they fucked on the bed adjacent to his. He had been so obliterated that he didn't even care what they were doing. At one point, the brunette offered for him to join them. He remembered his best friend protesting before he could even refuse. At least even in that state of mind, Jimmy was looking out for him. And Aubrey.

Her face popped into his mind at the thought of her. That sweet face. He wanted to call her. But she was probably still asleep.

He glanced at the clock. 5:02am. She was definitely still asleep. 

He wiped the drool off the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand and quietly climbed out of bed then meandered into the bathroom, shutting the door gently behind him.

He moved over to the toilet clumsily and undid his pants, having slept in his tight jeans from the day before. Not trusting his natural aim at that moment, he used his hand to guide the stream of urine into the toilet appropriately. But as he watched himself pee, something on his hand caught his eye.

Tucking himself back in but not bothering to zip or button his pants fully, he brought his hand closer to his face, squinting at his bruised and cut up knuckles that were covered in dried blood. He must've still been half-drunk because he was having trouble seeing things clearly.

"What the?" His raspy voice whispered.

As soon as he turned and looked at himself in the mirror, he wished that he hadn't. 

"God, I look like shit," he mumbled to no one.

His hair was matted to his head in some spots and sticking straight out in other spots. His eyes were sunken in and outlined with dark circles. He looked awful. But the worst part was the fat busted lip, covered in dried blood just like his knuckles. And upon further inspection, one of his eyes was darker than the other, and not from lack of sleep but from a bruise.

Had he gotten into a street fight? Or had he kicked his own ass? Because that was what he wanted to do at that moment.

When all the fun wore off and he was left with reality staring back at him in the mirror, he realized his life wasn't always as appealing as it first seemed.

He exited the bathroom just as quietly as he had entered it, and snatched his phone off the nightstand then opened the door to their room and walked out into the hallway. He exhaled, leaning back against the wall, and dialed the person he needed most. The phone trilled in his ear as he slid to the ground, bringing one knee up to rest his elbow of the arm that was holding his phone.

"Hello?" Aubrey answered hoarsely. 

He had clearly woken her up, but he didn't care. He needed her. 

"Sometimes I want to quit and just come home to you," he blurted softly, forgoing any greeting.

"Brian?" Aubrey replied a little more alert, realizing who was calling and at what hour. "Are you okay?"

"Sometimes I want to work a stupid, boring, nine-to-five job that makes me wear ties and uncomfortable shoes. And I want to drive a shitty commute to come home to you and the big mutt that we rescue from the shelter. And I want to loosen my tie and grab a beer from the fridge and plop on the couch beside you to complain about my asshole boss and incompetent co-workers and just stare at your beautiful face, because that's what makes me feel better," he rambled.

From the slight slur in his words, she could tell he was probably still drunk. Not drunk enough to be incoherent, but drunk enough to be spilling his heart out to her.

"But this is all I know," he admitted. "Touring is all I know."

"Brian," Aubrey sighed with sympathy. "You love playing music and you're amazing at it. I would never want you to give that up for a boring All-American life."

"This life just gets old sometimes," he admitted, revealing the true reason behind his disdain and early-morning phone call. 

"I know, baby," she sympathized gently. "But just think about how you get to go on stage every night and play music that you wrote, that you're proud of, in front of thousands of people who worship you and know every word to every song that you wrote."

He dropped his head back against the wall, listening to her words soothe him.

"I know it gets tiring and I know you get burnt out, but just remember how it feels to get up there night after night, living your dream, making a career out of it," she reminded him.

"You're right," he exhaled a deep breath. "...I love you, you know?"

She sat upright, hearing those words. If she was being honest, she always pictured the first time they said 'I love you' as this big grand moment. A tearful confession as they professed their love to each other in person. Maybe after a long night making love or a special romantic day together. But for some reason, it felt even more intimate hearing it in that way, so casual, so carefree, as if it was something he was so used to saying. She realized it wasn't a huge profession of his love, but it didn't need to be, because deep down, she already knew how he felt. This was just confirmation. 

"I know," she replied earnestly. "I love you too."

He said the words to her first, knowing there was a chance she wouldn't say them back. He was fully aware that she may not feel the same, yet he needed her to know how he felt. But she returned the sentiment. And it stitched up his homesick heart.

"Promise?" He pleaded.

"I promise," she confirmed. 

A soft silence fell over them for a moment. He thought about bringing up the bartender, questioning if she slept in her own bed last night, questioning if she slept alone last night, but he didn't. Because he knew the truth. She fell asleep alone in her own bed, thinking of him, the same way he often falls asleep alone in his bunk, thinking of her. 

His own insecurities could try to convince him otherwise, but deep down, he knew better. 

"Brian?" Aubrey spoke first.

"Yeah?" 

"Are you okay?" She wondered.

"I am now," he provided. 


	20. Chapter 20

Brian thought that there would be a weight lifted off of his shoulders after he finally told Aubrey that he loved her, but he was wrong. Dead wrong. In actuality, he felt worse, more weighted. It was almost painful how much he missed her now that he knew she felt the same way. 

He never intended for those words to slip out of his mouth as he perched outside his hotel room that early morning of confessions. But it felt so right, he just uttered the words with ease.

But now he regretted it. Not because those words weren't true - they were still damn true - but because he wasn't able to see her, to feel her, to hold her, or to kiss her after she reciprocated those daring words. 

He assumed she felt the same way about the whole exchange, because neither of them had spoken about that morning or said those words to each other again. And in the three weeks that had passed, Aubrey had been so busy, they had hardly spoken much at all other than the occasional text throughout the day or quick phone call when they both had a free second. She had been working her ass off, and although he missed talking to her, sometimes it made the distance a little easier.

Which is why he stared at his phone in his hand, debating over whether to call her or not. He had a free second. Well, since they had started on Warped Tour a week ago, he found himself having a lot of 'free seconds,' way more than usual. But he was hesitant. He wanted to talk to her but sometimes talking to her was just a tease of what he couldn't have in front of him.

It made him feel guilty, like he was betraying her, but he decided against calling her for the time being. He shoved his phone back in his pocket and lit a cigarette then leaned against the side of the bus, letting the nicotine wash calm throughout his body.

"Tell me, Val!" A familiar voice shouted.

Brian glanced over to see Jimmy trailing close behind Valary as they stepped off of the bus.

"Chill," Val demanded sternly.

"If you don't tell me who you're looking for, I am going to scream at the top of my lungs," Jimmy threatened like a child.

"You'll see in a second!" Valary replied shortly through gritted teeth, clearly fed up with Jimmy's pestering. She locked eyes with Brian for a moment then turned back to Jimmy. "Just... wait here, okay?"

Jimmy huffed, slouching, but relented. "Fine." He crossed his arms over his chest and watched as Val walked away. He leaned back on the bus then looked at Brian. "Hey, let me bum a cigarette."

Brian rolled his eyes with the slightest smirk and handed Jimmy the pack of cigarettes and his lighter.

"Thanks," Jimmy mumbled, holding the stick between his lips as he lit the end of it. 

They smoked their cigarettes in silence, for which Brian was appreciative, until Zack quickly shuffled off of the bus.

"Dude, I've been looking all over for you," Zack stated to Brian. "Did you read that email from Schecter yet?"

Brian shook his head. "No, why?"

"They sent some new body and neck designs, they are AMAZING," Zack exclaimed excitedly. "There are all these new color designs and patterns and gradients, I don't know how I'm going to choose just one!"

Brian felt bad for dismissing Zack as he continued rambling enthusiastically but he just didn't have the motivation or energy to get excited and passionate over new guitars at the moment. And he was beginning to get pissed off at himself for placing so much of his happiness in a fucking girl. 

He had never depended on another person for anything before, much less for his happiness. But then again, he had never met someone like Aubrey either. 

Suddenly, something caught Jimmy's eye. Brian was still pretending to listen to Zack's explanation of all of the new guitar details, but he certainly took notice, in his peripheral, of the way Jimmy stilled and even the way his eyes widened. 

It took Jimmy a full three seconds to realize who was walking next to Val. It was a face so familiar yet so unexpected that he didn't even realize who it was. Who _she_ was.

Aubrey.

"HOLY SHIT," Jimmy shouted as he took off, darting straight toward Val and Aubrey who were still a good distance away.

Ignoring Jimmy's usual antics, Brian continued to listen to Zack, completely oblivious that the love of his life was merely 200 feet (61 meters) away from him.

"Hi!" Aubrey greeted happily as Jimmy smacked into her, hugging her tightly and picking her up off of the ground. 

"I cannot believe you're here!" Jimmy exclaimed, setting Aubrey back on her feet.

"Believe it cause I'm here!" She replied with a smile then glanced around him to look for the person she was most excited to see.

"I can't wait to see his face when he sees you," Jimmy laughed as he moved out of the way so she could spot her man.

Aubrey's heart did a cute little flip at the sight of Brian when her eyes finally landed on him. He was standing outside of their bus smoking a cigarette by Zack. It was clear that they were engaged in a fairly one-sided conversation. Zack was talking, using his hands to emphasize his point like he was explaining something to Brian, who was listening but distantly, nodding as he took a drag from his cigarette. 

His hair had grown out a bit and he looked more muscular, like he had been working out. 

She smiled to herself as she watched him. He had been so supportive of her new job and suddenly busy lifestyle, so the second she had some Paid Time Off, she called Val to plan the surprise. And finally, there she was. There **he** was, merely feet away from her. 

As Aubrey, Jimmy, and Val walked toward the bus, everything seemed to happen in slow motion. Still talking, Zack glanced over to see who was walking toward them. It seemed so natural that he quickly went back to his conversation with Brian, until he realized exactly **who** was walking between Val and Jimmy. He froze mid-sentence and did a double-take.

"No way," Zack muttered. 

That grabbed Brian's attention. His eyes followed Zack's gaze and landed on Aubrey.

The cigarette that dangled between his two fingers slowly fell and descended to the ground, scattering ashes into the air along the way. He took a few small steps forward, like he couldn't believe his eyes.

Carefully, a huge, unapologetic, sincere smile spread wide across Brian's lips as Aubrey smiled then ran toward him. He scooped her up as she jumped into his grasp, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist as he held her up by her butt. Without another thought, she immediately greeted him with a kiss.

All of his pent-up frustration immediately dissipated and was quickly replaced by pure elation.

"Jesus, am I dreaming? I feel like I'm dreaming," Brian muttered into her mouth, unable to determine if she was actually in his arms like he had been imagining for months now.

"Not a dream, baby," she whispered. "Surprise."

He pressed his lips to hers again, suddenly realizing how afraid he had been that he would never get to kiss her again. 

Aubrey pulled away from the kiss first, staring into his eyes. She had been slightly worried that things might be awkward or weird between them at first, especially since they hadn't seen each other in months. But nothing felt weird or different as she stared into his eyes. It was just like it had always been... Perfect. 

"Miss me?" She asked coyly.

"You have no idea," he replied, pressing his forehead against hers, stealing small short kisses like he couldn't get enough of her. "Are you here for the day or?"

"I'm staying with you the whole way back to Phoenix," she informed him. 

His smile grew wider, somehow. That was at least a week.

"How did you pull this off?" He wondered.

"All thanks to Val," she nodded at the blonde, who was smiling proudly at their reunion, watching beside Zack and Jimmy who were both beaming.

Brian glanced over at his longtime friend. "I owe you."

"Nah, I wanted her here too," Val said with a pleased smile.

"Heyyy," Jimmy started with a whine. "I'm kind of ticked that you didn't tell me about any of this, Val!"

"You would've been too excited; you would've blabbed to Brian and ruined the surprise!" Val argued.

Jimmy mulled it over for a second then nodded casually. "Yeah, I probably would've."

Brian laughed then slowly slid Aubrey down to the ground and back on her feet but still held her close as he looked at her. "Hey, you cut your hair," he pointed out, brushing his fingers along her shorter locks. "It's cute."

"You like it?"

He smiled and nodded then realized something. "Wait, if you're with us until Phoenix, where's all your stuff?"

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot," she said as she reached in her back pocket. Seconds later, she held up a room key. "I may have gotten a hotel room for the night."

"Oh, thank god," Brian groaned, pulling her in for another kiss. 

Ø

Brian twitched with anticipation as he drove toward the hotel. His knee bounced and his knuckles were white as they gripped the steering wheel eagerly. He was having serious trouble keeping it together. 

This girl. This woman. She planned this whole thing to surprise him. She flew to another state to see him. She was going to stay on tour with them for a week. She got a hotel room because she knew how badly they needed time alone. She was going to kill him in the most amazing way.

"Are you okay?" Aubrey asked with a small chuckle, noticing his strained demeanor. 

"No," he answered honestly, exhaling. "I'm so turned on right now that I can barely see straight."

"Uh, should you be driving?" She asked with a little less humor and a bit more concern. 

"Probably not," Brian answered as he turned off of the road and pulled into the empty parking lot of a closed office.

He drove around to the back of the building, hidden from the road.

"What are you doing?" Aubrey asked, looking around.

"Get in the backseat," Brian demanded roughly as he threw the car into 'park' and unbuckled his seatbelt.

"What?" She questioned with a laugh. "The hotel is like two minutes away, Brian. I'll just drive if you can't."

"I literally can't wait that long," he said as he reached over the middle console and unbuckled her seatbelt. "Get in the back."

Aubrey let out a choked laugh at how ridiculous he was being, but his face held such a serious expression, so deprived and so desperate, that she couldn't brush him off. So she nodded and climbed in the backseat of the SUV instead.

Brian followed close behind her, immediately attacking her mouth with his, devouring her. His hands were all over her, flicking open the buttons on her shorts and tugging them down. He was wasting no time. He could dote on her once they got to the hotel room, but at that moment, he needed to fuck her and get it out of his system before he exploded. 

They repositioned themselves to where he was sitting in the seat and she was straddling his lap as her hands fumbled with his belt buckle. He pulled the straps of her tank-top off her shoulders and pulled it down to reveal her bra, which he quickly flicked off to reveal her breasts. He attached his mouth to one nipple while his hand went to tease the other. 

"Mmm," he hummed against her chest.

A soft moan escaped her lips, distracting her from undressing him. Once she finally got his belt and pants undone, he moved quickly in sliding his pants down just far enough to free his throbbing cock.

He moved her underwear to the side and grabbed her hips, completely taking control and positioning her above him. He dug his fingertips into her hips, a sensation she didn't even realize that she missed, and she slowly sank down on him, taking every inch of him at once.

"Fuck," he groaned, reaching behind her neck and pulling her face to his to kiss her. "Fuck, fuck, fuck," he cursed between kisses.

"God I missed you, Brian," she muttered against his mouth as she eased up then slammed back down on him. 

He grunted hoarsely, having missed not just sex, but sex with Aubrey. "I missed you too, sweet girl. _Fuck_, I missed you too."

He held her face close to his with his fingers tangled in her hair as she rode him, lifting and rolling her hips as she traveled up and down on his lap. She was not holding back, putting all the effort into this rendezvous, able to tell how intense it was. 

Wanting to feel his skin against hers, she backed away to pull his shirt over his head then ran her fingers up his tattooed arms. He gripped her hips again, watching them gyrate on him. He tried his hardest to thrust upward, but he was so overwhelmed with sensation, unsure of where to kiss, where to touch, what to feel, what to do, how to think, how to breathe.

"God, I can't," he groaned.

He knew he wasn't going to last but a few seconds longer.

He grabbed her face and pulled her in to kiss her, hoping to prolong his impending orgasm a little longer, but it was no use. The taste of her lips and the way she felt beneath his fingertips were only heightening the pleasure between his thighs.

"I'm sorry, baby," he sighed into her mouth. "I'm gonna come."

"It's okay," she cooed, kissing the corner of his mouth. "It's okay, just come. Come in me."

Every neuron in his body fired at those words. With a strained grunt, his orgasm detonated throughout every limb and appendage. He saw stars and fireworks and lightning as his eyes rolled into the back of his head. He clutched her head close with one hand as he gripped her hip with the other; his own hips jerking, pumping into her core, pulsating within her.

"God, I love you," he sighed with a grunt.

When he stilled and loosened his grip on her, she rested her head against his shoulder.

"I love you, too," she replied softly, kissing his jaw and neck lightly and lovingly. 

His hand rested on her thigh, lightly stroking the soft skin with his thumb as he stared up at the ceiling of the car, trying to comprehend what just happened. 

Thirty minutes ago, he had been smoking a cigarette, listening to Zack spew some bullshit about new guitars, and all of a sudden, he was coming harder than he ever had in his life in the backseat of their rental SUV while Aubrey rode him like her life depended on it. It still seemed like a dream, but the intense feelings he had were shockingly real. 

He knew he missed her. He knew he loved her. But he hadn't realized **how much** he missed her, how much he loved her, how much he needed her until she was finally back in his arms. 

"Sorry," he muttered. "I'll make it up to you later."

She kissed his jaw. "I know you will. Don't be sorry."

She wasn't even remotely upset. She could feel how badly he needed to fuck her and be fucked by her and she would've let him do whatever he wanted to her at that moment. It made her feel guilty. He had missed her and needed her so badly that she could feel it radiating off of him like heat. 

He kissed the top of her head, keeping his lips there as he inhaled the familiar scent of her hair. It released a burst of dopamine, so comforting and relaxing. Nothing else in his life mattered at that moment.

"I'm so fucking happy you're here, Aubrey," he muttered into her hair. 

"Me too, babe," she sighed.

"Best surprise ever."


	21. Chapter 21

Avenged Sevenfold had to take the stage shortly after Brian and Aubrey returned from their romp at the hotel. Hand-in-hand, they hurried through the parking lot, laughing at the fact that the band would take the stage a few minutes late due to them being literally unable to keep their hands off of each other for the last few hours.

Zack, Johnny, and the Berry brothers had done Brian a huge favor by setting up all his gear and tuning it how he likes, so that all he would have to do is show up, grab his guitar, and hit the stage. But they were still running a few minutes behind schedule.

"Jesus, finally!" Matt shouted as he saw the two swiftly approaching. With the signal that their guitarist had finally graced them with his presence, the rest of the band began rushing around to grab their instruments. 

Aubrey's face flushed slightly, knowing they all knew where they had been and what they were doing.

"Do you have your laminate?" Brian asked her as they slowed their pace near the stage. 

She looked down at herself. The laminated pass Valary had given her to give her access to any of the backstage areas was nowhere to be seen. "Shit. I must've left it at the hotel, sorry."

"It's okay," he said as he pulled his off and handed it to her. "Take mine. Go find, Val. She should be on the other side of the stage. Stay with her while we play."

"Okay," Aubrey nodded before turning to walk away. 

But before she could take another step, Brian grabbed her arm and spun her back around. Without hesitation, he grabbed the back of her neck and brought her lips to his, kissing her roughly. She kissed back eagerly, as if she hadn't just spent the last couple of hours physically letting him know exactly how much she missed him.

"So glad you're here," he said with a soft pant as he tore his lips away from hers.

"Me too," she replied. "Good luck."

He kissed her one last time then let her walk away.

Aubrey found Valary right where Brian had said, on the other side of the stage, jotting something down on a clipboard.

"Hey Val," Aubrey announced her presence to the band's manager.

Val glanced up and smirked. "About time you two made it back."

Aubrey smiled sheepishly. "Brian told me to sit with you while they played."

"Best seat in the house," Valary replied then waved for Aubrey to follow her. "Come on."

They climbed a few unsteady steps to the stage and Aubrey felt her stomach clench. 

"We're watching from the stage?" Aubrey asked with wide eyes.

"Yep," Val replied. "Unless you want to stand among a thousand sweaty teenagers, half of whom want to do unspeakable things to your boyfriend."

The word boyfriend rattled in Aubrey's head, but she ignored it for the moment.

"No thanks," Aubrey grimaced.

"That's how I feel too," Valary laughed. "So side stage it is." 

Aubrey watched as Val hopped up on a stack of stage risers and motioned for her to do the same. Though they were toward the back corner of the stage, they had a great view of the band from behind. It was a whole new perspective, seeing the crowd in the same way that the band does.

"Put these in your ears," Valary instructed as she handed Aubrey two small orange earplugs. "Trust me."

"Thanks," Aubrey stated with relief as she finagled the plugs into her ears. It never even crossed her mind that she would need them. She mentally laughed at herself, still so naive to the ins and outs of touring.

The guys took the stage a few moments later, earning a loud roar from the crowd. 

"What the fuck is up, Californiaaa?" Matt hollered into the microphone, transforming into M. Shadows right in front of Aubrey's eyes as he walked to the middle of the stage.

The crowd screamed even louder in response. The sound of the guitars rang through the monitors as Brian, Zack, and Johnny took their positions and Jimmy took a seat behind his drum set. 

The guys immediately began to play their first song and the crowd went insane, moving, dancing, and shoving each other just like Aubrey remembered. But seeing everything from this perspective was wild. She imagined it felt just as surreal to the guys on stage, seeing the huge crowd full of people of all ages, genders, races, and social status, singing along to their song, letting the music move them as they danced, bobbed their heads, and pounded their fists to the beat. It made her even more proud to know them.

After the first song ended, M. Shadows took to the mic again.

"I'm sure most of you guys have noticed that we were a little late getting up here, so I apologize for that shit," Matt spoke. "If you want someone to blame, it's all Synyster Gates' fault."

Brian cutely shrugged at the crowd then leaned forward and muttered, "Sorry," into his microphone. The crowd, a majority of the girls, screamed at his brief remark. 

He glanced over his shoulder toward the back of the stage where his eyes quickly scanned the people scattered behind him. His eyes fell on Aubrey, sitting on the stage risers next to Val. She was looking right at him and sent him a quick, sweet smile. He couldn't stop the subtle smile that spread across his face and sent her a quick wink in response then turned back to the crowd.

Val gently elbowed Aubrey in the side and swooned. "Cutest fucking thing I've ever seen."

Aubrey chuckled and nodded in agreement.

"However, we're going to make up for it by playing a brand new song for you guys," Matt stated to their fans. "So you better fucking move."

The intro to their new song began playing throughout the speakers. 

Aubrey had to admit that actually watching the guys play their set from behind the stage, sitting atop a stack of stage risers, was a lot more fun than working during it. It was exciting and quite a rush to be able to watch the whole thing from start to finish in such an intimate seat. She missed it greatly. 

As the guys continued to play, more and more people scattered the stage behind the band and equipment. Aubrey didn't recognize any of them, but she assumed they were with the tour if they were able to be on the stage. It made her happy to see people, who weren't a part of the A7X crew or their fans, supporting them. 

After their set finished, the real fun started, and Aubrey quickly realized why so many people were hanging around. Because, as she already knew, the guys were the life of the party.

And almost immediately after the guys left the stage, an absurd amount of alcohol was brought out for quick consumption. 

Warped Tour was vastly different from the other tour Aubrey had been on with the guys. Most distinctively, there were people **everywhere**. There were nearly 80 bands on the tour, plus all the band's crew members, plus all the crew members for the tour itself, who made sure things ran properly. 

And it seemed like at least half of those people showed up to party with Avenged Sevenfold after their set. It was slightly overwhelming to Aubrey, who was having a hard time remembering the names of everyone she was introduced to.

"Jesus, everyone loves y'all," she commented to Brian after he introduced her to the hundredth person that night.

He smiled down at her. "I love it when you say y'all."

She smirked and poked his side. 

"You want a refill?" He asked, nodding to her empty cup.

"Yes, please," she replied cutely, handing him her cup.

A few feet away, Jason Berry sat in a dilapidated lawn chair next to Val, who was chatting with his girlfriend Kelsey, as he watched his longtime friend flirt and laugh with a girl who seemed to have stolen the hearts of all of his friends.

"He's all goo-goo-eyed and in a trance," Jason muttered to Val when another friend began conversing with Kelsey. "I've never seen him like that before."

Val glanced up to see Aubrey and Brian standing at the drink table. She was leaning into him and giggling away as he accidentally spilled the drink he was pouring. He was chuckling, glancing down at her with the utmost adoration in his eyes. 

"Me either, honestly," Val agreed. "But she's been really good for him."

"Yeah?" Jason asked, protective of his friend. "You guys all took to her really quickly."

"Yeah," Val nodded and agreed again. "She fits in well. As welcoming as we are, that's not always easy to do."

Jason nodded in agreement, still watching as Aubrey perked up on her tippy toes and placed a soft kiss on Brian's cheek, which caused his eyes to light up.

Jason shook his head, remembering that Kelsey made him all lightheaded and giggly when they first started dating. Hell, she still made him feel that way. And if that was the way Aubrey made his friend feel, he had no choice but to be ecstatic about it.

~ 

"How's Phoenix, AC?" Johnny asked as the band and crew sat around a fold-out table later that night, passing a pipe of marijuana around. "You know, the bitches you left us for."

A small knot formed in Brian's stomach at the reminder that Aubrey wasn't there permanently.

Aubrey laughed, taking a sip of her beer. "Phoenix has been treating me well for once."

Johnny relented with a genuine smile. "I'm really happy to hear that."

_Traitor_, Brian thought.

"You still liking your new job?" Matt asked, igniting a flame under the pipe and inhaling the smoke.

"Yeah," Aubrey answered happily. "I've gotten some great feedback on my first few edits and I've already learned a lot. I'm actually going to start taking some online classes toward a degree in the field."

Brian glanced at her. That was news to him. Why hadn't she told him?

"Wow, really?" Matt replied. 

"Yeah, it's not really necessarily required, but the chief editor said it will help advance my career, so I'm looking into it," Aubrey answered.

"I'm still pissed that you left us, but I'm really happy for you at the same time, Aubrey," Valary commended. "I know how badly you wanted to go home and get your shit together. Sounds like you're doing just that."

"For once," Aubrey sighed, glancing over at Brian, who was staring at her intently. "I am."

Brian forced a small smile, but inside, his heart was breaking again. He wanted to be happy for her, and a part of him truly was. But she was getting more and more settled in Phoenix, which meant she was less and less likely to be able to come out and see him on the road. Or in California. And he hated that. And he hated that it gave him conflicting emotions.

"Hey, when are we picking teams for kickball?" Jimmy asked the group. "The other game is almost over."

The conversation drifted towards the kickball game that would be happening in the parking lot soon, so Brian turned to Aubrey.

"Why didn't you tell me you were going to go back to school?" Brian asked quietly, keeping their conversation to themselves.

"It's just classes online, B," she brushed it off.

"That's huge, Aubrey," he insisted. "I wish you would've told me."

"I just decided on it last week," she explained. "I haven't applied or anything."

He nodded but his eyes drifted away from her. She couldn't tell exactly what he was thinking, but she could tell he was afraid something would keep her away from him even more.

"Hey," she muttered, moving to get back into his line of sight. "It's all online. Nothing changes between us."

He nodded, making eye contact with her for a second then looking away again. "That's exactly what I'm worried about." 

She frowned as he exhaled a sigh. She didn't know what to say and she was afraid to say the wrong thing. She didn't want to talk about this yet, not on her first night with him. So she stayed silent.

"Brian, AC, are you two lovebirds playing kickball tonight?" Jimmy asked.

They snapped out of their own little world and glanced at Jimmy, who was standing up clutching a ball with one hand and pointing at them with the other.

Brian shook his head. "I'm sitting this one out."

Jimmy nodded then pointed to Aubrey with a questioning look. 

"Yeah, me too," she answered.

"Booooo," Jimmy whined with disappointment then waved them off. "Well, if you're playing kickball, let's fucking go! We've got some pop-punk asses to kick!" 

Everyone chuckled as Jimmy corralled the group (minus Aubrey and Brian) out of their chairs and began leading them to the adjacent parking lot where a current kickball game was ending. 

Their departure left Brian and Aubrey alone. And in silence. 

She didn't know what to say next but she felt like she had to say something, so she swallowed the lump in her throat, mentally psyching herself up to utter the words that were lingering at the tip of her tongue.

"I love you, you know?" She spat. 

Brian looked over at her with a neutral expression but he didn't respond.

"That's why I'm here," she reminded him. "You know that, right?"

He nodded. "I know."

"I couldn't come back out on tour with you guys permanently, but I could take off work and spend a few days with you. You said so yourself, I could just come out on tour for a few days at a time. That's what I'm doing," she explained. "Can't that be enough for right now?"

Brian exhaled, relenting his anguish almost instantly. She was right. It was better than her still being in Phoenix. He had to keep reminding himself of that and not of the fact that she would only be with him for a few days. He needed to cherish the time with her, not brood over the fact that he wanted more.

"I'm sorry," he said, sitting up and looking at her again. "You're right."

She smiled, thankful that she didn't upset him further.

"I'm just really enjoying being able to freely be with you on tour and not having to hide anything," he admitted.

"I know," she replied. "Sneaking around was pretty fun though, wasn't it?"

He smirked and nodded. "It was."

She smiled at him and his heart did its usual little flutter at the loving look she gave him.

"I love you too, by the way," he replied to her earlier profession.

"I know you do," she concurred.


	22. Chapter 22

"I think my eyeballs are sweating," Kelsey, Jason's girlfriend, groaned as she sat in a fold-out chair behind the merch table next to Aubrey.

"I know," Aubrey agreed. "I've never sweat this much in my life. My sweat is sweating."

Another difference between Warped Tour and the tour that Aubrey had gone on, was that Warped Tour was fucking _hot_. Most of the day was spent outside, in the summer heat, baking under the sun. And the only place to find air conditioning was the tour bus, which was usually turned off to save gas and electricity. Therefore everyone just perspired all day every day.

"I see the notorious AC Black has resumed her job duties," Kelsey acknowledged, noticing Aubrey was manning the merch table.

She laughed at her new friend. "Momentarily."

"Are you having fun so far?" Kelsey wondered. "Despite the heat."

"I am," Aubrey replied. "I'm just glad to be back with them, honestly."

"They talk about you non-stop, but I'm sure you already know that," Kelsey informed her with a wink. "They're all so happy you're back too."

Her kind words warmed Aubrey's heart.

Just then, a tall slim guy in black skinny jeans and a black t-shirt approached the table. Aubrey didn't recognize him but she noticed he wore a laminate, which meant he was either in a band or in a band's crew.

"Hey, you ladies heard about the big B.B.Q. tonight?" He greeted with no introduction.

"Aren't there big barbecues every night?" Aubrey asked, squinting her eyes and glancing at Kelsey for confirmation. She had only been on Warped Tour for a couple days, but so far, there had been a barbecue of some sort every night.

"Not like this one," the guy countered. "You two should come. It'll be behind the All Time Low buses. There'll be plenty of alcohol."

"Yeah, sure," Kelsey responded, waving him off, agreeing just so he would buzz off.

The guy looked at Aubrey for her response next.

"Um, sure," Aubrey replied with a shrug, mimicking Kelsey's agreement.

He winked. "See you later then."

When he moved onto the next tent, Kelsey faux gagged. "What a creep."

Before Aubrey could ask who that guy was and why he was a creep, Jimmy, Brian, and Johnny walked underneath the tent behind them.

"You drank the entire fucking thing!" Johnny shouted.

"I _said_ I wanted a sip!" Jimmy defended.

Aubrey and Kelsey turned around to see what they were bickering about. The guys each had a plate of food and a drink, except Jimmy, who had two plates of food. Brian had his eyebrows raised in a smirk as he watched his friends fuss, while Johnny looked betrayed and Jimmy looked absolutely unconcerned.

"Yeah, a _sip_!" Johnny reiterated. "Not half the fucking bottle!"

"I got a big mouth, my sip is bigger than average!" Jimmy spat then added, "Just like my dick."

"Oh for fuck's sake. I'm gonna shave your fucking eyebrows off while you're sleeping," Johnny threatened as he haphazardly tossed his empty Gatorade bottle into the trashcan and took a bite of his food.

"I don't give a fuck," Jimmy retorted, sitting on an overturned crate, genuinely not concerned if he had no eyebrows. "I'll shit on your pillow every night for the rest of the tour."

Johnny side-eyed him cautiously, knowing Jimmy would absolutely follow through on that threat.

"Jesus Christ, here," Brian shoved his Gatorade bottle at Johnny. "Take mine, you big baby."

Johnny took it from Brian and sat on the edge of a bench then glared at Jimmy, who stuck his tongue out at him.

Brian took a seat in the empty chair by Aubrey and held his plate up to her. "Want some?"

"What is it?" She asked, eyeing the food on his plate.

"Chicken spaghetti," he answered. "Catered by some local restaurant."

"Ooh, yum," she replied, nodding. "I'll take a bite."

He scooped some up on his fork and fed her. "I brought enough for both of us, but I only grabbed one fork, sorry."

"He did that on purpose so he could spoon-feed you cause he's a whipped little pussy," Johnny teased.

With that remark, Jimmy kicked Johnny in the thigh, throwing him off balance and sending him to the concrete on his ass.

"You fucker, you just made me spill half my food!" Johnny grumbled. Irritated, he threw the plate and the rest of the contents at Jimmy, who glanced down at the pasta that was now covering his arm and lap. Unfazed, he slurped a noodle off of his arm and went back to eating his own food.

"Don't be a dick to Aubrey," Jimmy warned with a mouthful of food.

"I wasn't!" Johnny protested as he stood up from the ground. "I was being a dick to Brian!"

"They're like the same person now - if you're being a dick to Brian, you're being a dick to Aubrey," Jimmy explained matter-of-factly.

"I can't be a dick to someone just by association," Johnny retorted, throwing his hands up. "That's fucking stupid."

"You're fucking stupid," Jimmy stated.

Johnny groaned. "I have got to get the fuck away from you for the rest of the day."

"Bye," Jimmy waved him off, still eating his spaghetti.

Johnny rolled his eyes and stormed off in search of more food.

"Uh, what did we miss?" Aubrey asked, noticing that Jimmy was being especially rude to Johnny and that Johnny was being especially sensitive to Jimmy's antics.

"They've been bickering all fucking day," Brian explained, feeding Aubrey another bite.

"I've been fucking with him since we woke up," Jimmy confirmed.

"You're gonna send the poor kid to the nuthouse if you don't leave him alone," Kelsey warned.

"Look, he drank the last beer in our fridge, stole my last cigarette without even asking, and cock-blocked the fuck out of me last night," Jimmy explained himself. "If _he's_ gonna be a prick, _I'm_ gonna be a prick."

"Calm down and eat your food," Brian insisted then changed the subject. "Have we sold any more shit today?"

"Not since I've been sitting here," Aubrey answered. "I think I lost my touch."

"It's probably because we smell like Satan's asshole," Kelsey hypothesized.

"Probably," Aubrey agreed.

Johnny came back to the tent at that moment, smiling mischievously as he ate from a new bowl of food. Seconds later, Valary walked under the tent behind Jimmy and grabbed his ear then pulled it.

"Quit picking fights with Johnny," Val commanded like an irate mother.

Startled, Jimmy's shoulders went up to his ears. His hands were full so he tried to tuck his insulted ear into his shoulder to ward off the angry blonde.

"What the fuck?" Jimmy screeched to her then turned and looked at Johnny. "Did you seriously just go tattle to Val?"

Johnny ignored him and took a bite from his plate with a shit-eating grin on his face.

"Tell him you're sorry," Val insisted.

"No, he's being a baby," Jimmy fussed.

Val twisted his ear further. "Tell him you're sorry."

"God dammit, ow! I'm sorry, Johnny!" Jimmy shouted.

"Are you gonna be nice?" Val asked.

"Yes!" Jimmy yelled in pain.

"Thank you," she replied as she let go of his ear.

Johnny was chuckling to himself until Val walked over and grabbed his ear too.

"Ow, stop!" He protested, the smile immediately falling off of his face, replaced by a grimace.

"Now _you_ apologize to Jimmy, cause I know this battle wasn't one-sided," Val continued.

Johnny knew better than to prolong the pain so he quickly apologized, "Sorry, Jim."

"Are you gonna be nice too?" Val questioned him.

"Yes!" Johnny answered without hesitation.

"Thank you," she responded, letting go of his ear.

With that, she walked away, leaving Jimmy and Johnny silent and sheepish as they went back to eating their food.

Brian, Aubrey, and Kelsey busted out laughing at the bizarre, yet somehow typical, scene that just unfolded right in front of them.

Between her laughs, Kelsey commended, "Oh, she's good."

"Too good," Aubrey added.

~

That evening, Brian and Aubrey walked over to the big barbecue that was taking place in the parking lot. All of their friends were already there, scattered around and stuffing their faces or getting shitfaced - or both. With his hand in the small of her back, Brian guided her through the crowds of people until they found an opening to the food and drink tables.

"Brian!" Someone shouted off to the side.

Brian glanced in their direction and saw a friend in another band waving him over.

"Hey, will you pour us some drinks? I'm gonna go see what Adam wants," Brian explained to Aubrey.

"Sure," she replied with a nod.

"I'll be right back," he told her as he placed a small kiss on her temple then walked over to his friend.

Aubrey turned around to ask Brian what he wanted to drink, but he was already too far away for her to ask without yelling. And the last thing she wanted to do was draw the attention of a bunch of drunk strangers. So she made her way over to the drink table and scanned the bottles of alcohol, figuring he wouldn't say no to a Jack and Coke, if she knew him as well as she thought she did.

She reached for a bottle of Jack Daniels when someone slipped a drink in her hand. Thinking it was one of her friends, she wrapped her hand around the drink and accepted it. Then she glanced over at the person and saw it was the guy from earlier, the one who had invited her and Kelsey to the barbecue.

"You made it," he greeted, again without an introduction.

"Yeah," Aubrey replied with uncertainty as she glanced at the drink, remembering Kelsey had called him a creep for some reason.

"It's just vodka and Red Bull, don't worry," he insisted with a friendly smile. "I made it for myself but saw you walk up, thought I'd share."

"Thanks," she decided to play it polite, although she had no intentions of drinking what was in the cup.

"Sure," he replied. "So I haven't seen you around before. Is this your first time on Warped?"

"Yeah," she answered, keeping her comments short.

"Are you with any of the bands or...?"

Suddenly, there was a familiar warm presence behind her, then Brian's deep voice cautioned, "She's with me."

She felt Brian's hand resume its position on the small of her back as he plucked the cup from her hands and tossed it into the nearby trashcan. When she glanced up at him, she saw he was staring the guy down. Not scowling but sending a firm message to stay the hell away.

"All right." The guy threw his hands up in surrender with raised eyebrows. "I guess you've got it from here."

"Yeah, I've got it from here," Brian echoed sarcastically, continuing to give the guy a stern glare as he backed away.

"Ooh, it's kind of hot when you turn into the Hulk like that," Aubrey said, with a smirk.

"That guy's a fucking predator, Aubrey," Brian informed her, still keeping his eye on the guy, making sure he moved far away. "He likes to get girls good and drunk and alone."

Ah, that's probably why Kelsey had called him a creep earlier. Aubrey realized how serious Brian was being so she dialed down her joking tone and explained the situation.

"I wasn't going to drink it. Someone handed me a cup and I took it, thinking it was Val or Jimmy or someone like that. I wouldn't have taken it if I had seen who it was coming from," Aubrey defended.

Brian finally looked at Aubrey and relaxed, relented his anger toward the guy. "I'm not mad at you, babe. I just don't trust that guy with you. Hell, I don't trust anyone with you."

She pursed her lips at his possessiveness.

"Besides, you don't have the best track record when it comes to guys and drinking," Brian teased, making light of the old bartender incident.

"Hey," Aubrey defended. "I have **ONE** good mark on my record when it comes to guys and drinking." She elbowed him with a smile.

"Well, we were sober more times than not," he reminded her.

Her smile wavered. He was right.

A silence fell over them as they both came to the realization that they had always **decided** to be together. It wasn't a thing they did when they were wasted. It wasn't a mistake they made once or twice. They **wanted** to be together. They had made numerous conscious decisions to get together, not intoxicated ones, not drunken mistakes.

"C'mere," he muttered quietly as he pulled her into him for a hug.

She rested her head on his chest and wrapped her arms around his waist. He inhaled the scent of her shampoo before pressing his lips to her hair, kissing the top of her head sweetly.

"God, I love you so much it hurts," He muttered into her hair.

She hugged him tighter. "I love you more."

He chuckled and rubbed his hand up and down her back.

"Not possible, babe," he said as he rested his chin on the top of her head. "Not even close."

~

The bus traveled quietly that night, swaying gently with the winding of the road. Inside Brian's bunk, he laid on his back, shirtless, with one arm behind his head and one under the arch of Aubrey's shoulder as she propped herself up on her elbow, laying on her side. They laid in silence as she traced the tattoos on his torso while his fingertips caressed her back.

He was soaking in the moment, having Aubrey with him, in his bunk, just like he had imagined for weeks now. His eyes fluttered shut as he focused on the soothing, intimate feeling of her fingertips tracing his inked skin. She would be leaving before he knew it, and he was trying to memorize every moment they had together.

He felt his dick twitch between his legs, as it often did with Aubrey around. He was such a sucker for her; it was ridiculous.

Before he knew it, he felt himself getting harder and harder. He kept his eyes shut and ignored it, knowing there was no way they could have sex in the small ass bunk, because literally everyone on the bus would hear.

He thought he was in the clear until Aubrey leaned down and whispered, "Does that feel good?"

And just like that, at the sound of her sultry voice, he was as hard as a rock.

Keeping his eyes shut, he swallowed hard and nodded. He was hyperaware of the feeling of her fingertips dipping lower down his stomach, but staying above his belly button.

"I didn't think tracing your tattoos would turn you on so much," she laughed, keeping her voice low.

"All you have to do is breathe in my direction and I get a boner," he admitted with no shame.

She chuckled again, running her hand down his stomach and over the bulge in his basketball shorts.

His hips jerked slightly and he winced at how painfully good it felt.

"Baby, don't," he warned quietly, still keeping his eyes shut. "We can't fuck in here; everyone's gonna hear."

Funnily enough, Brian had sex in his bunk plenty of times before, not caring if the whole world heard him. But he did not want everyone to hear the sounds that Aubrey made as she came, or the sounds he made as came inside of her. He was protective of that intimacy with her. He didn't want to share that with anyone.

Ignoring his warning, she slipped her hand in his shorts, wrapping her hand around his length.

He inhaled sharply, ready to warn her again, more sternly this time, when she began stroking him. His mind shut off as he swallowed a deep groan.

"Shh," she warned this time as she began moving toward the other end of the bunk, fully freeing him from his underwear and shorts.

Brian's eyes shot open, watching as she hovered on top of him. Not to ride him, but to take him in her mouth.

He needed to stop her, he planned to, but when she licked him from the base of his shaft to the head, he knew there was no way in hell he was stopping her. He watched as her mouth formed an 'O' shape just before she slowly took him in her mouth, inch by inch. His head fell back against his pillow, stifling another groan.

Aubrey's head bobbed, wasting no time, swirling her tongue as she went down and sucking as she went up. He tangled his fingers into her hair, clutching it roughly in an attempt to gain some control over the situation, but it was useless - she owned him within a matter of seconds.

To add to his gratification, Aubrey used her hand to supplement the length that she couldn't fit in her mouth, and the pleasure that it sent up Brian's spine caused him to pick his head up and watch her again. She glanced up at him, pleased by the heated look on his face as he stared at her. He looked like he was in pain, but Aubrey knew better.

Brian bit his bottom lip to keep the lingering carnal sounds from exiting his mouth as he watched her. Although he appreciated being able to show Aubrey affection in public now, he was reeling in the secrecy of what she was doing to him, even more turned on by having to be sneaky and quiet again.

When she used her free hand to grope and massage his balls, Brian's hips jerked hard, loudly thumping against the bottom of his bunk.

"Uhh, you alright up there?" Zack asked from the bunk below.

Aubrey removed her mouth and stilled, allowing Brian to gain some composure.

"Uh, yeah," Brian responded hoarsely then cleared his throat. "Sorry."

"Jesus Christ," Zack exhaled, knowing exactly what was happening above him from the sound of his friend's distracted and tense voice.

From across the small hallway, Jimmy chuckled loudly in his bunk. "Nice."

Brian looked at Aubrey with adoration. She was smiling softly. He took his hand that was in her hair and brought it down her cheek, caressing the soft skin on her cheekbone, then ran his thumb along her swollen pink lips as it hovered above his member.

She placed a soft kiss on his thumb then another one on the tip of his penis then took him back in her mouth, immediately bringing Brian back to the level of ecstasy he was at before they were interrupted. He placed his hand back in her hair to keep it out of her face and watched as she sucked him off.

When she began massaging his balls again, he knew it wouldn't take long for him to come.

Aubrey continued, watching as Brian tensed. His abs began to clench, flexing then relaxing over and over, while his orgasm waved through him. His hips rolled as he released into her mouth, bucking ever so slightly and biting his lips together to keep all of the dirty expletives trapped in his throat.

Spent and sated, he relaxed into his bunk, unable to move another muscle. With a satisfied and smug smirk on her face, Aubrey grabbed the bottle of water in the small cubby and took a sip to wash down any remnants then resumed her original spot next to Brian.

With the little bit of energy that he had left, he cupped her face and gently pulled her down to his mouth, where he kissed her lovingly. If he hadn't just came so hard, he probably would've gotten hard again when he tasted himself on her mouth.

"Holy fuck," he whispered into her mouth.

"You're welcome," she chuckled softly.

How was he ever going to let her leave again in a few days?


	23. Chapter 23

The sun blazed down on top of Aubrey's head. Heat radiated from her body, and her clothes clung to her dewy skin. With sweat glistening her forehead, she walked toward the bus, praying that the air conditioning was on inside, seeking a blast of cool air.

"AC!"

She glanced over her shoulder to see Zack pulling up beside her in a golf cart.

"Hey," she greeted with a smile.

"I've been looking all over for you; we need you!" He primed with pleading eyes.

She tilted her head slightly to the side. "What's up?"

"We need someone to man the merch tent," he explained.

She narrowed her eyes at his request. "Again?"

He nodded quickly.

"Where's Matt?" She asked of their actual merch guy.

"The Berrys are fixing Brian's cab and we have an interview to do in ten minutes," Zack explained.

Although Aubrey didn't mind helping out, that was the second time they asked her to look after the merch table since she had joined them on tour. She knew things didn't work out well with the last merch girl, her replacement, so Matt decided to just wing it for Warped Tour, but something smelled fishy. "Did Brian put you up to this?"

"Put me up to what?" He wondered, genuinely confused.

"I don't know. If I didn't know any better, I'd think you guys were trying to use my old job against me. Trying to persuade me to stay." She called them out.

"I don't know anything about that," he defended with his hands up. "It's just nice to have someone, other than Berry, that we can trust to run the table by themselves again."

Aubrey softened and smiled. Even if they were using it against her, she enjoyed the feeling of being needed and actually being helpful while on tour, instead of just tagging along for the ride. "Alright, you convinced me."

"Yes," Zack cheered with a fist in the air. "Get in, I'll cart you there."

So much for finding some air conditioning...

~

Aubrey was crouched behind the merch table as she dug around in one of the boxes, trying to sort and organize the mess of merchandise that had accumulated. She had no idea how Matt Berry was able manage all the crap the band sold. It seemed to all be mixed together. There were stickers in the t-shirt boxes, t-shirts in the CD box, and CDs in the sticker box. And she had no idea where the hoodies were kept, so she took those off of the display for the time being.

If she was going to help out, she was going to do it properly.

"Ohmygod," a girl, no older than sixteen, gasped as she and a friend walked up to the merch table. She had dyed-blue hair and thick eyeliner drawn perfectly around her wide and curious eyes. "Are you the A-seven-X merch girl?"

"Uh," Aubrey smiled cautiously as she stood up. "Temporarily."

"So you _know_ Avenged Sevenfold?" Her pink-haired friend asked with the attitude that accompanied teenage angst.

"Yeah...?" Aubrey trailed off, unsure why they were asking questions that had obvious answers.

"Ohmygod," Blue Hair squeaked. "What are they like?"

"Uh," Aubrey stammered then shrugged. "Fun?"

"Are they nice?" Blue Hair went on. "Please say they're nice."

"Yeah, they're nice," Aubrey nodded.

"I knew it," Pink Hair conceded. "Do you think you could, like, find a way to let us meet them?"

Aubrey's brow furrowed, unsure of what to say. Sure, she could introduce them to the guys, but something about that felt weird to her. "They're doing an interview right now, but I mean, they're usually walking around. If you see them, just say hi. I'm sure they'd love to meet you."

"Ohmygod, I'm so nervous," Blue Hair breathed. "We love them so much. This is our first time seeing them. We've tried-"

"Have you banged any of them?" Pink Hair interrupted with no shame. "I bet they're all amazing in the sack."

Aubrey raised her eyebrows at her forwardness. "Thaaat's inappropriate; I can't answer that."

"Ohmygod you totally have," Blue Hair concurred dreamily. "Who? Is it Zacky V?" The look in her eyes told Aubrey that she might have a stroke right in front of her if it was Zack.

"I bet it's the lead singer," Pink Hair encouraged. "Tell me how big his dick is."

Hearing these two young girls talk about Zack and Matt in such intense ways made Aubrey extremely uncomfortable, especially knowing Zack's gentle and loving nature and that Matt was extremely happy in his relationship with Val.

"Did you girls want to buy a t-shirt?" Aubrey asked, finally taking control of the situation and changing the subject. "That's about all I can help you with, sorry."

"Oh!" Blue Hair peeped, snapping out of her daze and remembering she was at the merch table for a reason. "Yes! I want that one in a medium!" She pointed out her t-shirt selection.

"I'll take the same one in a large," Pink Hair ordered.

Aubrey quickly exchanged the shirts for their money and watched with relief as they walked away, still gossiping. She felt uneasy as she went back to rifling through the merch boxes and organizing the chaos. Obviously, she had encountered many of their fans in the past and some were pretty damn excited about seeing the guys but she had never experienced fan girls like that before. It felt very strange to her.

Her life felt very strange at the moment, actually. Before she had decided to fly out to surprise Brian, she really wasn't sure when she would see him again. Yet there she was, not only with him, but back on tour (even if it was only for a few days), and back handling their merch.

"So, you're with the metal band, huh?"

Aubrey looked up to see the guy from the barbecue, as if she didn't feel weird enough already.

For some reason, his arrival and unnecessary question really pissed her off. Why won't he just leave her alone? And why was everyone asking her idiotic questions? She glanced at him then at the display of t-shirts. "If it wasn't obvious at the barbecue, it should be now."

He either completely didn't catch her aggressive tone or completely ignored it, because his expression didn't change. "I don't know if you're available for hire but we could use a new merch girl for our next tour," he suggested.

She narrowed her eyes at him. "I'm retired, actually," she spat semi-sarcastically, even though she knew he wouldn't understand the joke.

"You sure?" He egged on. "Us pop punk guys know how to party."

For the second time in thirty minutes, her eyebrow furrowed at the brazenness of people she didn't even know.

"Yeah I'm good," she curtly insisted.

"Aw come on," he pushed. "We would show you a good time. They can't be taking care of you as well as we would."

"She said she's good."

Both Aubrey and the guy whipped their heads to the side to see Brian walking up to them at that moment. Although she wasn't afraid of this asshole, she was relieved to see her knight in shining armor.

"Jeez, coming to her rescue again," the guy uttered with a laugh.

"Just fuck off, dude," Brian said plainly. He didn't want to start anything with this guy, he didn't want to cause an issue. He just wanted him to go away.

The guy snorted. "Sunk your claws pretty deep in your merch girl, huh? Or can she just not handle herself around dudes in bands?"

Brian's fists clenched at his sides but he didn't respond, not wanting to let this prick get a rise out of him. He knew he wasn't worth it.

Aubrey noticed the guy didn't seem to surrender and fuck off as easily as he did at the barbecue, so she silently pleaded with Brian - _please don't punch him, please don't punch him_.

"She can handle herself just fine. It's you who can't handle himself, seeing as you won't take no for answer and piss off," Brian declared, standing in between them now.

They stared each other down for a minute. Aubrey realized that this obnoxious guy didn't give a rat's ass about her - he just wanted to win a pissing match. For whatever reason, he had a bone to pick with Brian and he wanted to see it through.

"Whatever dude," he finally relented then looked over Brian's shoulder at Aubrey. "Enjoy your pussy hair metal."

Aubrey's grimaced. Although she understood the insult, she had to cringe at the fact that he said pussy hair.

"I will," she said matter-of-factly with a nod at the end.

Again, Brian stared him down as he walked away. "God I want to deck that guy."

"I'm glad you didn't," Aubrey spoke softly, touching his arm, bringing his attention to her.

Finally, he looked at her and instantly relaxed. A small smile graced his face and he asked, "Having fun?"

"I was before that guy came up and started talking about pussy hair."

Brian chuckled. "Our interview got pushed back an hour so I just came to check on you. Good thing I did."

"Yeah," she agreed. "Despite what that guy said, I appreciate it when you come to my rescue."

He smiled lazily then gave her a small kiss on the lips.

"Need anything?" He asked.

"A shower and air conditioning," she answered.

He laughed again. "Matt should be back to relieve you soon. I'll come find you after our interview."

"'Kay," she replied then puckered her lips for another kiss.

He obliged happily then walked away.

Just as Aubrey was finishing up her organization techniques, Jason ducked under the tent.

"Okay, I came to relieve you, but dear god, please don't leave me to sell merch to preteens by myself," Jason begged without a greeting. "This is not my domain but Matt fixed Brian's cab and since I don't know what the hell he did, he's gonna get it all set up on the stage, and now I'm here and terrified."

She laughed at his incessant rambling. "Don't worry, I won't leave you to fend off the preteens alone."

"Oh god, thank you," he replied as he plopped down onto an empty crate. "Oh dude! I just talked to your brother!"

"Really?" Aubrey asked with raised eyebrows and a smile. She loved her brother and missed him so much.

"Yeah! He's in Seattle for the weekend!" Jason informed her.

"He is? I had no idea! You probably talk to him more than I do. I swear, I only get to see him on holidays."

"Yeah, he was telling me about this new project he's working on," Jason continued. "It sounds badass. And I think he's got a girlfriend."

"What!" Aubrey exclaimed, her mind completely blown that someone from her 'new' life knew someone from her 'old' life. "I'm gonna have to call him to get all the details."

"You should," Jason replied before he suddenly froze.

"What's wrong?" Aubrey asked.

"They're coming," Jason whispered. "The preteens are coming."

Aubrey looked over her shoulder to see a hoard of fans excitedly walking towards their table.

"Just sit back and relax, Berry," she comforted. "I got this."

~

The sound of tires squealing and scraping against the concrete muffled the sound of Jimmy's exuberant laughter as he peeled out in the golf cart. He was riding around the tour grounds, wreaking havoc and acting a fool, per usual. Whoever decided to give Avenged Sevenfold a golf cart was not right in the mind.

Up ahead, Jimmy spotted two familiar girls and gunned it toward them. Without warning, he whipped into the space in front of Aubrey and Kelsey and slammed on the brakes, sending his ass flying about a foot off the seat then flopping back down onto it.

"Jesus H." Kelsey grabbed her chest, startled by Jimmy's loud and sudden appearance.

Aubrey just laughed.

"Did you know you can peel out in a golf cart?" Jimmy asked with a gleam in his eye. "Cause you can. Want me to show you?"

"That's okay, Jim," Aubrey replied. "I believe you."

"You ladies need a ride?" Jimmy asked, raising his eyebrows suggestively.

"No, thanks. I'd rather not die today," Kelsey retorted.

"Aww," Jimmy pouted. "AC?"

"I'm good," Aubrey declined.

"But it's your last day on Warped," Jimmy whined. "Come on, it'll be fuuun."

"But you're gonna kill me," Aubrey went on.

"But it'll be fuuun," Jimmy reiterated.

"Please don't kill her," Brian requested as he walked up to his friends.

"Party-poopers," Jimmy huffed. "Where's Johnny? He'll let me kill him."

And with that, Jimmy sped off in the golf cart.

"I'm going find the cleanest port-a-potty within a five-mile radius," Kelsey announced. "If I don't come back in the next ten minutes, send a search and rescue team."

"We'll send Jimmy," Brian reassured.

Kelsey laughed as she walked off. "He's probably just as aggressive."

"Soo," Brian slung his arm around Aubrey's shoulders. "What do you want to do on your last day?"

"Not talk about the fact that it's my last day," Aubrey requested with a sigh.

He let out a sympathetic sigh. "I know. It's killing me too." But he promised himself that he wouldn't sulk or make a big deal out of it He wanted to enjoy his last day with Aubrey and end on a positive note, not on a sad note. "But we're gonna have a good day."

She agreed with a nod.

"Do you want to go straight to your apartment after the show or hang out for a while?" Brian wondered.

"What time is bus call?" Aubrey asked.

"Five in the morning," Brian answered with a crooked frown.

"I guess we can go to the cookout for a little while tonight after the show, so I can spend some time with Val and Kelsey and the guys," Aubrey rationalized. "But I don't want to stay too long, so we can spend some time together too."

"Deal." Brian nodded then spotted something ahead of them. "Jesus Christ," he exhaled with a laugh. "Look at these fucking idiots."

Aubrey followed his gaze until she landed on a golf cart a few yards away. Jimmy was driving, still very recklessly, swerving from one side to the other, but it was Johnny who had her eyes bugging out of her skull. He was on top of the golf cart, wearing nothing but his underwear and holding on for dear life as Jimmy tried to knock him off the roof.

The top half of Johnny's body was stiff and tight as he clung to the roof of the cart, but the bottom half of his body was thrashing from side to side.

Aubrey covered her eyes quickly and buried her face into Brian's chest. "Oh for fuck's sake, I can't look. I can't watch Johnny die right in front of me."

"Why are you naked?!" Brian yelled as the cart got closer and closer.

Aubrey peeked through her fingers, worried that Jimmy was truly going to hurt Johnny, despite the maniacal laugh that was bellowing from his thin frame. He was loving it way too much.

"Trying to avoid..." Johnny tried to answer but had to catch his breath as he was getting scarily close to falling off the side. "Dreaded Warped farmer's tan!"

"Translate?" Aubrey asked Brian.

"Being in the sun for the whole summer tends to leave a t-shirt and shorts tan on everyone," Brian explained. "Guess he's gonna hang out in his underwear to avoid that. Logical."

Just then, Jimmy made a sharp turn and came frighteningly close to toppling the golf cart on its side; so much so that his eyes widened with panic.

Aubrey gasped. "Make it stop, Brian. I am going to have a heart attack."

"Hey!" Brian called to get Jimmy and Johnny's attention. "They restocked the fridge in the bus with beer!"

The tires of the golf cart came to a screeching halt. Without hesitation, Jimmy quickly shut it off and jumped out of the vehicle then took off toward the buses, with Johnny sliding off the roof and following after him.

"That was too easy," Brian laughed.

"They're gonna be pissed when they get to the bus and find the fridge still empty," Aubrey reminded him.

Brian shrugged. "They'll live. Let's go get some food."

~

Brian was fine while they ate lunch. He was fine while Aubrey showed Matt Berry her method of handling the merch to help him for the rest of the tour. He was even fine while he helped her pack.

He started to struggle a little while they played their set though. His chest tightened when he saw her watching from the side of the stage, knowing he wasn't going to see that sight again for a while. When the sun went down, and day turned to night, he started to feel worse and worse. He knew their time together was coming to an end. Again.

As soon as they made their way to the cookout that night, Brian was on edge. Aubrey and Val were whispering to themselves about something, so he gave her some space. He needed a moment to clear his head and pull it together anyway, so he went to look for some beers for the girls.

He was trying to keep his resolve. He was trying to keep it together. He was trying not to sulk or let it get to him. He really didn't want to sulk on their last night together.

But when Brian saw that fucking prick in that lame ass pop-punk band talking to Aubrey _again_, he nearly lost it. It was her last night on tour, her last night with him, and he was not going to let this dude steal a single second of it.

He knew Aubrey like the back of his hand, and he trusted her. He wasn't worried about this guy getting his hands on her, but it pissed him off that he tried to anyway. Especially when he saw Aubrey's expression change from annoyance to disgust at something the guy said.

Brian quickly made his way through the crowds of tour members scattered throughout the parking lot, wondering why the fuck he ever left Aubrey's side knowing this prick was constantly on the prowl. He only turned his back for two seconds. He didn't even know this jerk-off's name, why did he insist on messing with his girl?

"What part of fuck off did you not understand?" Brian asked spitefully as he approached them, instantly shoving the guy away from Aubrey.

Knowing exactly what was about to happen, Aubrey's eyes widened as she watched the guy stumble a few steps backwards.

"What?" The guy asked with a laugh as he regained his balance. "You don't trust your bitch?"

He was drunk and he was escalating.

"I don't trust you," Brian countered, pointing his finger at the guy.

"Hey, I'm just trying to sink my claws into her too, man," he goaded.

"Leave her the fuck alone," Brian spat, his fists clenching.

"Or what?" The guy provoked. "What're you going to do?"

Without another thought, Brian's fist reared back and slammed into the guy's jaw in one swift and tense movement. The guy hit the ground almost immediately as gasps could be heard through the crowd around them.

"Okay!" Aubrey intervened, stepping in front of Brian and putting her hands on his chest. She shouldn't have even let it get this far, but she certainly wasn't going to let it go any further. "It's time to go!" 


	24. Chapter 24

The knuckles on Brian's right hand were white as he gripped the steering wheel, looking straight ahead and driving in silence. Aubrey didn't speak a word either, giving him time to process his thoughts and emotions, only speaking to give him brief directions to her apartment.

He was still fuming when they got there. He pulled into a parking space and shut off the rental car but didn't get out. She stayed put too, giving him time to regain his composure.

When he finally stirred, she did too, following suit as he got out of the car and grabbed their bags.

She led him up the stairs and to her apartment then unlocked the door.

"This is it," she said quietly as she flipped on the lights.

He walked through the threshold behind her then dropped their bags and shut the door.

"Living room there, kitchen there," Aubrey announced as she pointed out each of the rooms that were within sight from the doorway. "Bedroom and bathroom are down there."

He took it all in, nodding, surveying her home with his eyes. It was small but nice. And it was her home. It was where he wanted to be.

But Aubrey could still feel the tension radiating off of Brian. She turned to face him to see his jaw tight and his brow tense.

She took a step closer to him. "Bri-"

"I don't want to talk about it." He interrupted curtly.

"But you can't just-"

"I said I don't want to talk about it," he uttered, closing his eyes. "I don't want to talk at all."

She narrowed her eyes at him. She inhaled to say more but before she emit a single sound, he grabbed her by her waist and spun her around then pressed his lips to hers forcefully as he backed her up against the door.

"Shut up," he muttered against her mouth. "Shut up."

She wanted to be mad that had just told her to shut up, but she knew that he wasn't trying to be rude. She knew he wanted her to stop talking and that the only way she would is if he was blunt about it. She could tell he wanted to just forget about what happened, forget about the fact that he was leaving her soon, forget about everything.

"Make me," she challenged in a breathy voice.

"What?" He asked, breaking away to look at her face. He was _still_ trying to keep it together but he had so much pent up in his mind and in his body from the whole day. And it sounded like she was giving him permission to let it all out. He eyed her cautiously.

"Make me," she repeated with a nod. She wanted it. She wanted him to take it out on her, on her body.

His grip on her hips tightened, nearly painful. He pulled her a few inches closer to him then pounced, slamming her back against the door as his lips met hers again. She kissed back feverishly and he thrusted his hips against hers forcefully. She moaned when he wrapped his hand around her neck, clutching it gently but firmly, holding her against the door. He was taking control in such an intimately daring way.

His hands snaked up her shirt, and he briefly broke their kiss as he removed her shirt before he flicked open her bra. Once it was unhooked, he yanked it off of her then tossed it across the room. He attached his lips to her neck and began kissing and biting the soft skin along her neck and shoulders.

She tried to bring her arms around his neck but he was all about her right now, so he quickly grabbed both of her wrists to stop her. He braced her arms above her head and gripped her wrists with one hand to hold them in place. With the other hand, he cupped her breast in the crook between his thumb and index finger and mauled her taut nipple with his mouth, sucking and nibbling and sending her to a point of pleasure that was so intense it was almost painful.

She cried out blissfully and tried to bring her arms back down to touch him or herself or something, but he held them tighter over her head with a grunt. He brought his lips to her neck again while his free hand hastily ripped open the button on her jeans. He shoved his hand down the front, instantly running his fingers though her slick slit.

A loud moan escaped Aubrey's lips as a ripple of pleasure rolled through her body. He was being so rough with her, something he had never really done before, and she was already about to burst at the seams.

In one swift movement, he moved his hand off of her wrists and yanked down her shorts and underwear to her mid-thigh then spun her around to where she was facing the door.

"Keep your hands right there," he demanded when she began to relax her arms.

She did as he said, keeping her hands up on the door and jutting her hips out. He placed one hand above her head, bracing himself on the door as he hovered behind her. He kissed a trail down her shoulders while his other hand roamed the soft skin on her ass, running down her crack to the wetness pooling between her thighs. Without warning, he inserted two fingers into her swollen heat. She let out a small whimper at the intrusion as she pushed back against his hand, wanting more.

He began fucking her with his fingers, kissing her ear, biting her earlobe.

The shorts around her thighs were restricting her legs from spreading further; it was pure torture. She wanted more, harder, faster, but she couldn't do anything about it. He was in control and he was owning her. It turned her on so much.

He could feel her clenching around his fingers. He knew she was close but she was holding onto her high.

"Come," he demanded.

With a loud sigh, she did. Her body rolled, her hands squeezed into fists, her forehead pressed against the door. He didn't stop moving his fingers inside of her until her tense body relaxed. She slumped forward, now leaning against the door on her forearms.

She heard movement behind her as he removed his pants and underwear, kicking them off. He pulled her pants down all the way until they were off and they were both completely naked.

Typically, he eased into her entrance, but not this time. He swiped his hand between her legs and used her wetness to lubricate his cock then shoved into her in one thrust. She inhaled audibly.

He groaned loudly as he pumped into her, gripping her hips tightly with both hands. His fingertips dug into her skin as all of his emotion poured into her. His grief over having to leave her behind in Phoenix. His anger and irritation with that asshole on Warped. His conflict of being so in love with her but so far away from her at all times.

She pressed her palms against the door to steady herself. He was pounding so hard and so deep into her that if she didn't brace herself, he'd probably fuck her straight through her front door.

He wasn't worried about her climax and he wasn't worried about her comfort. He wanted to come, hard and inside of her. He wasn't going slow and he wasn't savoring the moment. He wanted to fuck her, rough.

Aubrey was in heaven. Sure, she enjoyed slow, intimate sex. And she enjoyed heated, passionate sex. But she had never experienced rough, angry sex with Brian, and she was surprised by how much she reveled in it. The fact that Brian was simply using her to get off was turning her on so much.

There was no dirty talk or professions of love. Despite the emotions that drove Brian's thrusts into Aubrey, they were just having sex. Just getting off. Just feeling good again.

And it _did_ feel good. So good that it didn't take long for Brian to come. But his orgasm surprised him, exploding out of nowhere with no build-up, no warning. In a split second, it hit him. He let out a deep grunt followed by a loud groan that had him nearly doubled over. His jaw dropped as he held Aubrey's hips in place against his and stilled his own, allowing his orgasm to flow through him and into Aubrey, pulsating deep inside of her.

  
She could feel him, throbbing, filling her up. She squeezed her inner walls around him and his hips jerked ever so slightly.

A soft sigh escaped his lips when his orgasm finally subsided.

He pulled out of her slowly then turned her around, backing her up against the door again. But this time was different. He pressed his lips to hers, kissing her softly and cupping her face gently.

When he broke the kiss and eyed her, there was a different look in his eyes, a softer, more tender look. He kissed her again, lazily, his lips lingering on hers. He had gotten out all of his frustration and now he was feeling loving.

He scooped her up into his arms and she wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist.

"Bedroom?" He whispered into her mouth as he palmed a butt cheek in each of his hands to hold her up.

"First door on the left," she told him.

He made his way to her room, laying her down on her bed then taking her again, but this time slowly. He was in no rush to come, no rush to make her come, and no rush for it to end.

~

Neither Brian nor Aubrey slept a wink that night. When he wasn't buried deep inside of her, he was listening to her talk about her job and all the great things that had been happening. And when she wasn't writhing either above or beneath him, she was listening to him tell her stories about growing up with Jimmy, Matt, and Val.

It felt oddly domestic when they finally got out of bed at 4 AM. Brian went to shower to get ready to leave. Aubrey went to the kitchen to whip up some breakfast with the few groceries she had in her kitchen.

Brian grew twitchy while they ate. It was early, he hadn't slept, his energy level was well into the negatives, and he was about to have to leave Aubrey behind.

She could tell he had gotten much quieter since he got out of the shower. She could feel the tension growing between them. It was just like last time. He was going to start something. She would try to keep her anger at bay, try to keep his resentment from heightening, but she was feeling defensive. Why couldn't he just say 'see you soon' and be on his way?

Sure, she didn't want him to leave just as much as he didn't want to leave, but it was reality - why did he have to make it more difficult?

They ate in silence until it was time for Brian to leave. Without a word, Aubrey took his plate to the sink to wash them quickly while he went to her bedroom to gather his few belongings.

"Thanks for staying here last night," Aubrey said softly as she walked into her bedroom, trying to ease the tension in his shoulders.

"Wouldn't have had it any other way," he mumbled in response, refusing to look up at her.

She watched him sadly as he continued to collect his things.

When everything was thrown into his backpack, he finally stood up straight and turned around to look at her. She was leaning her body and head against the door frame, wearing his t-shirt, which looked like a dress on her smaller figure. She had a sad look in her sleepy eyes but she tried to smile softly at him. Sleepy, sad, and with tousled hair, she nearly broke his heart.

"Can I keep this t-shirt?" She asked him. "It smells like you."

His face fell slightly but the tension was still lingering. He walked over to her, cupped her face with both hands, and nodded. "Of course you can."

His thumbs caressed the soft skin on her cheeks before he placed a soft kiss on her lips.

"What can I do to make you come back with me?" Brian whispered into her mouth. "You know that I'll do anything for you. Anything."

"I wish it was that easy," Aubrey sighed. "But you know I can't."

He dropped his hands from her face then walked over to get his backpack off of her bed. The mood shifted a little, from sad to frustrated, and it was palpable.

"I'm always gonna try anyway," he replied, slinging his backpack onto his shoulders. "I understand you need to be on your own and get your life together without me, but I hate it. It hurts, and I can't fucking handle it."

"It hurts me too," she replied, not sure what else to say.

"I don't know. You usually seem to handle it pretty well, Aubrey," he spat, feeling his blood pressure rising. "Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one who wants to make this work."

She stilled. Staring at him, frozen in place, trying to determine if he _really_ did just say that to her. It felt like a strong slap to the face.

"Excuse me?" She blinked. "The only one? Did I not just take off of work and fly to California to spend a whole week with you?"

"You know what I mean," he replied with slight dejection, realizing he had struck a nerve with her.

"No, I really don't!"

"I'm always begging you to stay and you're always leaving anyway," he clarified.

"Why the hell can't _you_ stay with _me_?" She wondered. "Why do I always have to stay with _you_?"

"Because we can both live off of my salary! I can't live off of your entry level assistant editor job!" He threw that fact in her face. "_You_ can barely live off of your job!"

"Exactly!" She shouted. "That's exactly my point! I do not want to live off of you, Brian. I _can't_ be dependent on you. But with my pitiful little entry-level assistant editor job, **one day**, I will be able to work _and_ be with you! I'm just asking you to hang on until I get there!"

He shook his head. "I don't know if I can."

She stared at him. "You're really gonna do this right before you leave? You really want to end on this note again?" She asked in disbelief.

"It's not getting any easier, Aubrey," he sighed. "It's getting harder."

"Yeah, it gets a lot harder when you try to fight me on it every time we have to say goodbye," she admitted.

He shook his head and glanced at his watch. "I gotta go."

She nodded, knowing it was time, but not knowing what was happening between them. Was he breaking up with her? Were they just fighting?

He headed for the front door and she followed.

"Do you want your shirt back?" She asked him, figuring if he was breaking up with her, he'd want it back.

He glanced over his shoulder at her. He frowned and shook his head. "No, baby. Keep it."

She nodded as he opened the front door. Was he going to leave without saying goodbye? Without telling her he loved her? What was happening?

"Brian," she called with a soft voice.

He turned around. His eyes were sad and confused.

She grabbed his face and brought hers so close to his. "I am so sorry that I hurt you so bad every time I tell you that I can't stay on tour with you, but I promise that everything I do to get my shit together and work on myself is so that I can be with you, so that I can give myself to you fully. I know you don't understand that right now, but I hope you will one day."

She kissed his lips gently but didn't linger long enough for him to kiss her back. When she took a step back, his eyes scanned her face, looking for something, anything to give him hope.

"I'll call you later," he said, even though the tone of his voice said that he didn't believe the words himself.

She nodded then watched as he walked away. When he was out of sight, she shut the door and sunk to her knees, pulling them tight to her chest. She couldn't stop the tears that fell freely down her cheeks.

~

When Brian got back to the bus, he was surprised to see Jimmy was still awake. Barely, with his eyes hooded and heavy, but he was still conscious, laying on the couch, watching a movie.

"Yoo," Jimmy greeted when Brian got to the top of the stairs. "You look like shit. Aubrey kept you up all night?"

"Something like that," Brian muttered, dropping his backpack by the door then sulking over to the fridge.

Jimmy narrowed his eyes at his best friend as he watched him grab a beer from the fridge, pop it open, and guzzle half of it. He figured he'd be sad to leave Aubrey, as they all were, but something about his disposition was different this time. And he didn't seem even remotely happy to have been kept up all night by Aubrey.

"Yo," Jimmy called to get his attention.

Brian glanced over at him, raising his eyebrows in response.

"You okay?"

Brian nodded, taking another sip of beer.

"Aubrey okay?"

He nodded again.

"Are you two okay?" Jimmy asked, fearful of the answer.

Something flashed in Brian's eyes. It disappeared too quickly for Jimmy to determine what it was, but he noticed it, and he knew it meant something.

Brian finally nodded again but didn't stick around for Jimmy to ask more questions. He took his beer back to his bunk and continued sulking in silence.

He thought about texting or calling Aubrey. But what would he say? Sorry? He wasn't sorry. Maybe that made him an asshole, but he wasn't sorry. He wanted her to know how bad it felt to have to separate from her over and over again. No matter how hard he tried to wrap his head around it, he didn't understand why she was so dead set on staying in Phoenix.

It was great that she wanted a career, great that she wanted to be independent, but he felt like her actions contradicted her words. If she loved him as much as she said she did, missed him as much as she said she did, wanted to be with him as much as she said she did, why didn't she just drop everything and be with him?

He couldn't understand it, he couldn't see it from her point of view, and it was driving them apart.


	25. Chapter 25

The bus was quiet when Valary woke up - a.k.a. the perfect time to get work done. She slipped out of the bunk she shared with Matt, who was still fast asleep, and crept down the hallway into the living area. She was startled to see Brian sitting on the couch, staring straight ahead at the opposite wall of windows, watching the interstate pass by, clearly in a daze. She checked the clock. It was 6:30 in the morning. It had only been a couple of hours since they had to leave Aubrey behind in Phoenix. She figured he was still processing his emotions over it.

"Already awake or haven't gone to sleep yet?" She asked, even though she knew the answer, as she grabbed her laptop.

"Haven't gone to sleep," Brian answered softly, with his gaze still lost in the windows.

Val brought her laptop to the table adjacent to the couch that Brian was sitting on and sat down. "Mind if I set up in here? I've got some stuff to work on this morning for the next tour."

He nodded.

She started her computer, watching as everything loaded, but her mind was on Brian. He was hardly even blinking. This didn't look like his usual "sad to leave Aubrey" mood. This looked like something more to her.

And though she didn't want to pry, she was concerned and curious about this different mood.

"You okay?" She eventually asked.

Finally, Brian broke his stare and looked over at Val.

He shook his head. "Not really, no." Typically, he would've lied and said he was fine, but since it was Val, he was honest.

"What's going on?" She pressed.

"Don't want to interrupt your work," he mumbled, going back to staring at the windows across from him.

"You've been one of my best friends for as long as I can remember. Work can take a backseat for a few minutes," she insisted.

Slowly, he inhaled a deep breath then let it out. "I blew up on Aubrey right before I left this morning."

"Oh, Bri," Val cooed with disappointment. "Why?"

"Because I'd do anything to have her come back out on tour with us, but she won't. And I keep thinking that she's gonna change her mind, but it's becoming pretty clear to me that she won't."

"Because of her job?" Val wondered.

Brian nodded his head. "Yeah, a job that she got _after_ she went back home the first time. A job that shouldn't be more important than us. Than me."

"I don't think it's about the job itself," she replied.

He sighed. "I guess I take it personally, like if she truly loved me, she'd do it. She'd drop everything and come on tour."

Valary frowned. "Honey, I don't think she would've flown out to be with you for a week if she didn't love you. If she didn't love you, she wouldn't have called me to set everything up behind your back so she could surprise you. She's doing the best she can. I honestly believe that."

Brian didn't reply.

"When she came out on tour with us, she was a little lost, Bri. For someone who's not in this scene, it's a little wild to just take off for four months to go on a tour with a bunch of strangers. She left her life behind, put her life on hold, for that. And it was great. I think it really helped her. But when the tour was over, she still had a life to get back to. And I don't think she was happy with that life, so she probably felt like she had to start over."

"She could've started over with us," Brian insisted.

"She _is_ starting over with us," Valary reminded him. "We're a part of her life now. She might not be with us or with you while she's getting herself together, but we're a part of her new life. You are a part of her new life."

He nodded, but it was clear to Valary that he still wasn't totally convinced.

"Brian," Valary said sternly.

He glanced over at her, recognizing her serious voice.

"It's **okay** that she wants to do this," she explained. "It's **okay** that she wants to do something for herself even if you don't understand her reasoning. She can love you _and_ have a life of her own. I know it's not what you want but it doesn't mean it's wrong. In fact, I think it's mature and level-headed that she doesn't drop her entire life to be by your side 24/7. You've only known each other for, like, 9 months."

He nodded, knowing Val was right. But it didn't ease the pain much. And Valary could read that on his face.

"But you know, honey, it's also okay if you're not willing to wait around for that." It killed Valary to say that, because she was rooting for their relationship probably as much as Jimmy was, but she was loyal to Brian too. And she wanted the best for him, whatever that was. "Your feelings are just as valid as hers. If you are willing to wait and deal with a long-distance relationship, then great. I think it will pay off in the long run. But if it's too much for you, that's okay too."

He nodded, soaking in the words that she spoke. Did he want to wait? Ideally, he wanted to, but it was difficult at times. He wanted to but was he physically and emotionally able to?

He stood up and walked over to Val then kissed the top of her head. "Thanks."

She smiled sympathetically. "Love you, Bri."

"Love you, Val," he whispered as he walked down the hallway and got into his bunk.

His head felt foggy and frenzied as he laid down, staring up at the ceiling of his bunk. He needed sleep, he needed a fresh mind to mull things over, but he couldn't relax. Aubrey was consuming his entire being. He was buzzing with adrenaline and fear and love. And it was frustrating him at the moment.

Aubrey, Aubrey, Aubrey.

He couldn't lie, she had consumed his thoughts since that first night they spent together. He thought about the way she flirted with him that night and how she said "y'all" and how he thought it was adorable.

He thought about how strong their connection was and how their "one night" pact didn't even last 24 hours.

He thought about her in New York, at the top of Rockefeller Center, with the city skyline behind her and her hair blowing in the wind.

He thought about her on his balcony, wearing his shirt, with the waves crashing in the background and again, her hair blowing in the wind.

He thought about the first time he pushed inside of her without a condom, the first time he pushed inside _anyone_ without a condom, and how he immediately knew she had ruined him in the best possible way.

He thought about how he felt when she surprised him at the first California stop of Warped Tour and how it felt like he was dreaming when she ran into his arms.

He thought about every smile she gave him, every moan that had escaped her lips with him, every single time she had come undone either underneath him or on top of him.

He thought about it all.

He knew he was probably meant to spend the rest of his life with her, with the stars aligning just right to bring them together. He loved her so much that it hurt. But sometimes it felt like she didn't return that same passion. And if she didn't love him in the same way, he didn't know if the pain was worth it.

Ø

Aubrey's fingers clacked away at the keyboard. Her eyes stayed focused on the computer screen. At work, she was in her element, in her own world. The only things on her mind at the moment were the travel destinations she was typing an article about.

"Ford."

Aubrey's eyes glanced up to see the chief editor standing in the doorway. The boss. She was a tall redhead, always dressed to the nines, always with a face full of makeup, and always on the go.

"Good morning," Aubrey greeted kindly. If she wanted to weasel her way into an editing position one day, she had to be at her boss's beck and call 24/7.

"I have that Hawthorne meeting in ten," she reminded. "But the piece on affording city living is not ready to be published. Can you finish that up for me? It's due in an hour."

Her boss was asking her to finish a piece that _she_ was working on. Meaning she trusted Aubrey to complete an article that would have her name on it. This was huge.

Aubrey tried to play it cool with a nod. "Sure."

"You're a lifesaver," she winked then walked away.

Aubrey's eyes widened. She took a moment to let the request sink in then instinctively, she reached for her phone to text Brian the good news, but then her hand slunk away. She hadn't heard from him since he left her apartment five days ago. And it was slowly eating her up inside.

She knew that she could text Brian anyway, and he'd be happy for her. She knew he'd be there for her no matter what. But there was too much unsettled dust for her to send him a message like nothing had ever happened. And she wasn't sure she was ready to revisit those emotions again. Certainly not when she had a huge edit to finish and her own to continue working on.

Suddenly, her phone vibrated, buzzing loudly. She jumped slightly, picking it up hastily. It was a message from Val. She quickly opened it.

** _Wanted to let you know that we just saw that asshole from the BBQ that Brian punched. When he saw us (or Brian, I guess) walking toward him, he ran off so fast - looked like a bat straight out of hell. LOL._ **

Aubrey chuckled. That made her happy. She appreciated being kept in the loop by the others, at the very least.

She replied to Val then put her phone back on her desk. She wasn't going to worry about the Brian issue. Not when she had a huge task at hand.

And with that, she pushed him to the back of her mind and got to work.

Ø

Two weeks later, inside a random bar in a random city, Jimmy and Brian sat at high table playing a drinking game that involved Jimmy taking a shot every time Johnny said the word 'dick' during his pool game against Matt, and Brian taking a shot every time Zack scratched the white ball in his pool game against Val.

"You dick!" Johnny shouted.

"Shot," Jimmy announced with a lack of enthusiasm as he drank the bitter beverage in one large gulp.

Brian laughed, still having four full shot glasses of his five total in comparison to Jimmy's one remaining full glass.

Suddenly, a familiar song began playing through the speakers of the bar. Only Jimmy and Brian seemed to notice as a smirk spread across Brian's face and Jimmy's eyes grew wide. They turned to look at each other as they heard the sounds of 'Big Pimpin' by Jay-Z fill their ears.

"Shit, man," Jimmy groaned, his face falling. "Makes me think of AC."

"I know," Brian agreed, rubbing his hands down his face.

"You miss her, huh?" Jimmy asked, catching a rare serious tone with his best friend.

Brian looked at him. He wanted to lie. He wanted to say no. But he couldn't lie to his best friend. So he rolled his eyes and confirmed. "Yeah, I do."

"Me too."

"I'd do anything to get her back out here with us. But she won't," Brian explained.

Jimmy let out an exasperated sigh. "She can't, dude."

"She could," Brian reiterated.

"Okay," Jimmy relented. "Yeah, she _could,_ but she's not ready yet. Don't make her feel like shit for not being ready yet."

"I just don't get it," Brian admitted.

"You don't have to get it," Jimmy said simply. "She needs to do this, for whatever reason, so this is the relationship you have now. Long distance. Having to make travel plans to see each other."

"It sucks," Brian exhaled.

"Well yeah, it sucks," Jimmy confirmed. "But think about how great it'll be when you can finally be in the same city after putting up with so much."

Brian nodded. Jimmy was such a clown and such a pain in his ass, but he was also his best friend, someone who knew when to get serious, when to be blunt, and how to get through Brian's thick, stubborn skull.

"Scratch!" Jimmy pointed out Zack's blunder. "Drink, Haner."

Brian quickly downed a shot then confessed something that had been festering in the pit of his stomach for days. "I haven't talked to her since I left that morning."

"What?!" Jimmy damn near screeched.

"I don't know what to say to her," Brian sighed. "I was a dick when I left. I threw a bitch fit and just left. And now I can't face her. And I don't know what to say."

"Maybe you should start with I'm sorry!" Jimmy suggested with annoyance.

Brian shrugged. Okay, maybe he liked it better when Jimmy was fucking around, being a clown and a pain in the ass. Sure, he was wise and thoughtful, but it was usually hidden beneath layers of jokes and laughs and immaturity. So when the serious/thoughtful side came out, he was usually putting Brian in his place.

Jimmy frowned softly. He had never seen his best friend so happy with someone (and so miserable without someone) before. And truthfully, he had never liked any of Brian's girlfriends before either. He would lose a friend if they broke up and, selfishly, he wasn't happy about that either.

Zack scratched again, causing Brian to take another shot.

As the liquid burned his throat, he groaned.

"Let's send her a picture," Jimmy said, whipping out his phone and flipping his camera on. "Make a sad face so she knows how much you actually miss her."

He did, sticking his bottom lip out profusely and making sad puppy eyes at the camera. Jimmy did the same.

He captioned the picture: **_Doesn't feel right to listen to Big Pimpin' without you! We miss you!_**

They sent the picture and went back to watching the pool games.

"Dude," Jimmy got Brian's attention. "Let's just go see her."

"Who?" Brian asked. "Aubrey?"

"Yeah," Jimmy said. "In a couple weeks when we go back home for a few days. Let's go drive and see her and surprise her."

Feeling intoxicated and his heart aching for Aubrey, he nodded in agreement. "Yeah."

"Yeah?" Jimmy asked.

"Yeah!" Brian shouted. "Let's fucking do it."

Ø

The next night, Brian sat in the back lounge of the bus fiddling with his guitar and wallowing in his self-pity. His phone rang beside him. He glanced at the screen. Aubrey was calling.

Without hesitating, he declined the call. It would be hard to hear her voice but not see her face, and he had been struggling with the distance ever since he left her in Phoenix.

Sure, he and Jimmy had talked about driving to go see her when this tour ends in a couple weeks, but would they really do it? Unlikely.

And what would he say? _Hey, I didn't text or call you because I'm a coward, but I just drove six hours without warning to see you, so, wanna fuck? _

He rolled his eyes at himself. There was no way he was going to see her at this rate.

Minutes later, Jimmy came into the room. He was holding his phone to his ear, with an animated smile on his face. The person on the other end of the phone was loud, rambling on and on.

With his eyebrows raised, he nodded. "I know, AC. Right. Yeah, okay, here he is."

Brian made a face and shook his head, to silently inform Jimmy he did not want to talk to her, but Jimmy handed him the phone anyway, saying, "Trust me, dude, you're gonna want to talk to her."

Brian sighed and took a moment to mentally prepare himself then brought the phone to his ear. "Hello?"

"BRIAN!" Aubrey screeched.

His eyes went wide.

Jimmy laughed. "Told you."

"Are you drunk?" Brian asked.

"Absolutely shitfaced," She responded, talking in a British accent.

"Why are you suddenly British?" He wondered.

Jimmy cackled in the background. "I fucking love that girl."

"We met these English blokes at the bar!" Aubrey explained, continuing with her drunken accent. "So they're speaking in an American accent, and Lauren and I are speaking proper English! Whoever breaks character first buys the next round!"

Though he really didn't want to, Brian chuckled. She affects him in ways that no else can. He had been down in the dumps for days, but he still can't stop the smile that she puts on his face.

"Are you having fun?" He asked, realizing how much he really missed her voice.

"God, no," she answered in her normal voice. "I'm too old for this shit. All these drunk guys trying to hit on us and buy us drinks. It's so trashy."

Brian felt his blood boiling the instant she spoke those words. Did she say that just to make him jealous?

"And it sucks because not a single one of these guys are you. And it sucks because you're not here to punch any of them."

He exhaled, feeling relief. This phone call was already a rollercoaster of emotions that he wasn't prepared to feel.

"I'm sorry, Brian," she sighed. "I'm sorry I'm chicken shit. Too chicken shit to come on tour for good, too chicken shit to hop in my car and surprise you at your house and stay forever, too chicken shit to actually physically date you, all of the above."

Brian waved Jimmy out the room, who rolled his eyes but left, shutting the door behind him.

"You want to date me?" Brian asked in a low voice, just in case Jimmy was still listening.

"I want to do everything with you," she said in her normal voice.

His heart skipped a beat. He couldn't tell if those words made him feel better or worse.

He wasn't sure what to say, so after a few moments of silence, Aubrey resumed her awful faux British accent then she continued, "But alas, I am too chicken shit."

He laughed, feeling slightly airier than before. "You're fucking adorable but I can't take you seriously with an accent."

"Sorry," she apologized again. "Do you still love me?"

"Always, baby," he admitted truthfully. "Do you still love me?"

"Always, baby," she echoed. "Always."

"I'm sorry I didn't call," Brian sighed.

"Hold on, I can barely hear you," she muttered into the phone.

Moments later, the background noise from the bar got softer and quieter, and he figured she must've gone outside or something.

"Okay, now," she said. "What'd you say?"

"I said I'm sorry," Brian repeated. "Sorry for how I left and sorry for not calling or texting since I left."

"I figured you needed space," Aubrey drunkenly mumbled. "It hurt me though. I'm not going to pretend like it didn't. Saying goodbye is already hard enough. When you get emotional and start laying into me like that, it makes it a million times worse. And then not hearing from you for days makes me worry. I didn't know if you had moved on or if you just needed space or if you completely hated me."

"I could never hate you, Aubrey," he reminded her. "Never."

"I know I'm drunk, but can I be honest with you?" She asked. "Like fully, completely, vulnerably honest."

"I would actually really appreciate that," he confirmed.

"I'm scared, Brian," she admitted. "I want _everything_ with you. But I am so scared that if I don't get myself together, work on a career, and be stable on my own, that I'll never be able to properly commit to you. I'll always feel like I'm just tagging along on tour and living off of your money and your lifestyle."

Brian stayed silent, allowing her to continue without interruption.

"And I know that eventually, it'll make me question if you really love me or if you feel obligated to support me. It'll make me feel like I could never be independent, and as much as I love you, I can't depend on you for everything. I'm just not prepared for _everything_ with you yet," she was spilling her heart out to him, but her slurred words reminded him that she was drunk and rambling.

"Aubrey..." Brian trailed off.

"I know it's not fair to you and I'm sorry. But I want to be a better person. For me. For you. For us. I want everything with you. But I can't have it right now. And it sucks but I'm trying so hard to do the right thing because I know it'll be worth it in the end. No matter how far away the end is."

Brian swallowed hard as the slightest tears lined his eyes. He exhaled the breath that he didn't even realize he had been holding in.

"You have no idea how much I needed to hear you say that," he replied quietly.

"I'm sorry that drunk Aubrey is the only one who can openly tell you those things, but sober Aubrey is working on it," she said.

"This isn't always going to be fun, is it?" He asked, finally blinking the tears away.

"Not always," she said. "But it doesn't have to be awful either."

He nodded, even though she couldn't see him. He knew that sometimes, when the distance got really hard, he'd need some space. But he also understood her a lot more after she admitted everything to him. Hopefully those words would help him through the days when he needed space.

"I gotta go, baby," he said softly into the phone. He was having a hard time processing everything that had just happened.

"Okay," she muttered. "I love you."

"Love you," he replied.

Once he hung up, he let out a long sigh, running his fingers through his hair. Minutes earlier, he couldn't stand to even talk to Aubrey. And now? He was itching to see her again.

"Hey Jim!" Brian called.

Seconds later, Jimmy opened the door to the lounge and poked his head in. "Yeah?"

"You still want to road trip it to Aubrey in a couple weeks?"

A huge smile spread across Jimmy's face. "Fuck yeah."

"Let's do it."

"Fuck yeah!" 


End file.
